


Diplomat’s Son

by britishshoe



Category: Kpop - Fandom, Super Junior
Genre: M/M, american heechul au, the age gap between them is shorter to make this work also
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2019-06-21 00:42:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 25,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15545823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/britishshoe/pseuds/britishshoe
Summary: Heechul is fully prepared to finish school entirely unseen, until Siwon shows up to make his senior year an utter mess.





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> This may be kind of rough, but I appreciate any comments! I found there’s a desperate lack of fic for this pair and I thought I’d chip in.

Heechul had already been up for several minutes contemplating dragging himself from his bed. He had been training himself into this sleep schedule for a few weeks, but it hadn’t lessened the ache in his mind when he thought about going back to campus. The sun shone upon him from the window at the head of his bed and he just wanted to toast like a little marshmallow in its warmth. Unfortunately enough, his alarm sounded for a second time, running out his snooze period and he groaned before swinging his body over to land his feet on the floor. He stood and lazily unbuttoned and shrugged off his pajama shirt before bringing on his oxford collared uniform, just to fuss with a new set of buttons. He kicked out of his bottoms and caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror; the reflection showing him in his underwear and dress shirt made him scoff as he flopped face down on his bed. 

“Heechul!” He heard his mother call up the stairs and he sighed into his down comforter.

”Coming!” He shouted, muffled by his still bunched up covers. He promised himself he would make his bed every day before school— just not right this second. Heechul stood to tug on his trousers and throw his tie around his shoulders like a scarf before nearly toppling down the stairs to attend family breakfast. His dad and sister sat at the table eating and idlely chatting. His sister was in college and had another week of lazing around before she returned to campus, and she rubbed that in his face the second she saw him all dressed up. He shot her a scowl before glancing at the wall clock and realizing that he had nowhere near enough time to sit and eat, and silently cursed himself for lying in bed for so long. He grabbed for a few items that could be portable and wound up with half a grapefruit and a bottle of water. He bid everyone a quick farewell as he slid on his loafers at the door and started down the sidewalk to the bus stop. Heechul hated taking public transport; the bus driver was always so rude and he wanted a car like all of the rich kids at his school. It wasn’t exactly an unknown fact that he was a middle class boy in a sea of exorbitantly rich white kids. His parents always told him he deserved to be there because he was “so smart”; he was. Heechul had to prove himself in order to keep his tuition low. If his grades slipped it was full price or public school for him. He didn’t care much but his parents were so proud of him and he liked that feeling. The bus slowly pulled in right as he reached the stop making him smile at the realization he wouldn’t have to wait on the gum addled bench with the old woman that always asked if he was a boy or a girl. He flashed the driver a smile to no avail and swiped his bus pass before seating himself somewhere near the middle. Inconspicuous. He removed the paper towel from around his grapefruit and stared at it in disbelief as he realized he forgot a utensil with which to eat it. The thought passed through his mind that surely it mustn’t be hard to split it and get the sections out; he was wrong. Grapefruit juice sprayed on his face and his white dress shirt and he exclaimed quietly.

”Son of a bitch,” he whined as he used the aforementioned paper towel to dab at his face.

”Ladies shouldn’t curse,” the old woman piped up from the seat adjacent his.

_Wow there’s really no escaping this old bat._

Heechul decided not to waste his time explaining his gender to his senile seat mate and looked back to the grapefruit. It looked mangled in his hands and he was only able to salvage three or four segments before wrapping it back up to be thrown away. He decided to bide his time staring out the window at the ever approaching school. Suddenly he thought about fight or flight and how he could just leap out the emergency exit and return home to his bed that waited unmade and warm. He sighed at the seemingly impossible wish of sleep and tapped his fingertips on his thigh. He rolled his arm toward himself to see his watch read 8:00. Only seven more hours until school was out and he was riding another bus in the opposite direction. Heechul closed his eyes and sighed audibly, realizing the bus was rolling to a stop catty-cornered to the school grounds. The stop wasn’t directly in front of the school, so Heechul had to cross the street and make a turn. There was something so pristine about the school, something so untouchable when Heechul approached the wrought iron gates and was waved in by the familiar gate attendant. It was the same man that had been there all three of Heechul’s previous years, and he will likely be there long after. He smelled the fresh cut and groomed lawn and saw some of his current classmates sitting beneath the oak trees, laughing with one another as if this wasn’t a manicured prison for spoiled brats. Heechul didn’t necessarily harbor resentment for the carefree attitude shared through the campus, he just had jealousy. He knew these people just didn’t relate to him in almost any way; that wasn’t their fault.

”Hey, Heech!” The sound of the worst nickname of all time reverberated in Heechul’s ears and he turned to see his classmate whose name he could not remember. He wondered if he ever knew it. The gangly kid dashed toward him and stopped abruptly against him, hugging him briefly. ”We’re seniors, man!” He shouted before running off past Heechul. He traced the boy’s steps in amusement as he called another student by name and embraced them, moving on down the line through the courtyard. It was a brief moment before the warning bell sounded and Heechul muttered some more curses thinking about how he really had wanted to go to his locker and the restroom before first period. He barely had enough time to run up the stairs now and find a seat as far back as he could. Seating had become a science for him; sit too close and be called on or sit too far back and be unable to see the board. Heechul was one of the shorter guys in class, what with the shaggy haired blonde CEO juniors that all surfed or played lacrosse or whatever rich people do; Heechul wasn’t sure. He had been sitting in a similar seat in all of his classes since childhood, all the way to the left and somewhere near the middle of the column of desks; so perfectly inconspicuous. All the good eggs would sit front middle, but cease to block his view from the peripherals. Today he found that the golden seat was still open and he flung his backpack over the back of the seat before anyone got any ideas. He sat with a sigh and pulled out his school planner, emblazoned with the academy’s crest. He pulled a pencil from his bag as well as a pen; he liked to be prepared. The clock at the front of the room read 8:25, and Heechul almost groaned at the thought of tapping his foot for five minutes. He leaned forward with his elbows on his desk and his head in his hands, anticipating an hour of ice breakers. As he impatiently stared at his pencil tapping his desk, a large boy he had never seen before settled down at the desk directly in front of his. Heechul took note of the gelled hair and impressive stature of this vision block and was prepared to move before the boy turned to address him.

”Hello!” He reached out his hand toward Heechul, adorned with a million watt smile. “Choi Siwon!” The aura around him was so unbelievably overwhelming, almost a physical sunlight seeping from his pores. He had the same school uniform as everyone else, but it fit him like it had been tailored for him and him only. Heechul was staring at his forearms where his sleeves rolled to three quarters length, showing the impressive pathway to his sculpted hands.

”Kim Heechul,” he responded in a way he normally wouldn’t, it wasn’t custom for him like it was for his parents. He found himself reaching for Siwon’s hand akin to a medieval princess accepting a suitor. The unfamiliar boy held it none the less and for a moment Heechul thought he might kiss it. 

”I hope you do not mind me saying, Kim Heechul, your tie needs attending to,” Siwon stated matter-of-factly and Heechul looked down to realize it was still slung lazily around his shoulders. Before he could even process it, this overly formal and overly friendly classmate was giving him a double Windsor knot with those shapely hands of his. Siwon seemed to think there was nothing abnormal about this, and when he brushed his new acquaintance’s neck with his knuckles, Heechul’s face reddened beyond the point of no return. He swallowed hard as his tie was brought up to the base of his neck, not too tight and not too loose. For some reason he still felt like he was choking. The bell rang just in time to signal Siwon to turn around, saving any more discomfort from growing between them. A tall, lithe woman strolled in with a bored look on her face and began to explain the syllabus. She told the class that she would not be making them all do introductions and Heechul sighed a silent victory at getting away from every Chad and Derek talking about how they will be president one day. He shook his head lightly before hearing the teacher say she was making an exception solely for a select student; Choi Siwon. The handsome boy bounded up to the front of the room and gave one polite wave before giving a speech akin to an Oscar’s acceptance.

”Thank you, teacher, and thank all of you for having me!” He beamed out to the small crowd and began to introduce himself. “I am so honored to be here from Korea and to study at this wonderful institution!” A few students began to snicker at his enthusiasm, but if he noticed, it didn’t show. “Oh, and I would like to say special thanks to Kim Heechul for being my first friend!” The room was silent as all the other students turned to look at Heechul with raised brows. Half of them probably just learned his last name, and he really liked it as it was. The inconspicuous nature around him melted as everyone elbowed each other and chuckled at his visible embarrassment. His mind raced as he sank his face into his hands and hooked his fingers into his bangs. He couldn’t help but wonder why it had to be him.

 


	2. A Well Respected Man

Heechul remembered nothing but shooting out of his seat at the sound of the bell. He skittered to the bathroom and was relieved to find that no one was in there as he entered. He sat his backpack at his feet in front of the urinal and was proceeding with his business when he heard just the sound that had haunted him all period long.

”Kim Heechul!” It rang through the room like a gunshot and Heechul jerked back, nearly pissing on himself.

”What the hell!” He hollered as he covered himself from the shimmering gaze of Choi Siwon. This seemed to be yet another thing the boy found not at all weird. 

“Sorry, I did not mean to scare you!” He was only cordially apologetic as he stepped up to a mirror on the other side of the room and ran his fingers through his hair. It fell around his forehead gracefully, hanging in framing pieces like a 90s movie star. “Ah, would you happen to have a comb? I need a touching up.” He gleamed another one of those blinding smiles and Heechul momentarily thought his tan skin was reflecting light from his teeth.

”No, sorry,” he responded as he washed his hands, as many sinks away as was possible. He couldn’t help but glance at Siwon as he scrunched his face up momentarily, letting it roll off his shoulders rather quickly before returning to his usual grin.

”That is okay. Where are you going to now?” 

“I have AP history, and can you not refer to me by my whole name again? Just Heechul from now on.” He responded, exhausted by this conversation.

“Ah, I see,” Siwon had taken on an apologetic facial expression as he pulled out a folded piece of paper to reveal his schedule. ”That is my next class!” That brilliant smile never seemed to descend from his face, and Heechul felt his heart sink when his newfound friend clapped a hand to his shoulder and steered him in the direction of their next class. He briefly considered fight or flight again, but he decided he probably couldn’t beat this guy in a fight or outrun him, so they pressed on through the hallway as a duo.  People were staring, or at least he thought they were, at this huge, gorgeous boy that touched him softly between his shoulder blades. Heechul could feel the blush that came to rest on his cheeks like the sun had been beating against his face. He wanted to turn around and tell this guy to fuck off, but there was something so calming in his touch. It was something he had never felt before, and he hated that he was feeling it now. That hand never left him even when entering the classroom, lingering for a moment as he found a seat a little further from the front than the last class. This time, Siwon sat behind him, and not being able to keep an eye on his antics made Heechul nervous. He was all too relieved when the lesson began without a hitch. The instructor started with explaining some of his favorite historical events, and joked he would try not to focus only on those. Heechul smiled softly at the teacher’s lax way of being, relieved there would be a break between stuffy old people that very clearly resented the fact that they were still working. He was almost peaceful, zoning out and leaning back in his seat. This lasted the majority of the hour before the man addressing him said his spiel was over, and the class may talk amongst themselves. He sunk down in his desk just as he felt a vaguely familiar sensation at his scalp. It gave him a wave of nostalgia, his eyes crinkling involuntarily for a moment of calm. Heechul had felt this more than enough times when his sister was around, but his sister wasn’t here, so who the _fuck_ was braiding his hair? He snapped back to reality and he thought he heard sirens as he realized what was happening. He harnessed his rage firmly and made a slow turn in his chair to see Siwon, happy as a clam, pausing from giving him a mean set of French braids. His eyes narrowed at the boy who just smiled serenely at him like he had been all morning. Suddenly Heechul couldn’t bite his tongue.

”What are you doing?” He was trying to keep his voice down, which was nonconsequential as the rest of the students were goofing off rather loudly. Siwon looked at him and for the first time since this morning seemed irritated. 

“I was braiding your hair, but I realized I do not have an elastic,” he responded, his mouth drooping crookedly as he blew air up toward a stray hair on his forehead. Heechul was amazed at how cavalier Siwon was in this situation, or any of the ones they had so far been in together.

”I guess I mean why are you doing it?” He restructured his sentence, too bewildered to be angry. Siwon seemed to think this over only briefly before making a firm statement.

”I just think you have beatiful hair. I am sorry if I have made you uncomfortable, hyung,” he said resolutely and lowered his head for only a second, reemerging with that glowing row of teeth he never seemed to stop flaunting. Heechul began to take apart this interaction in his mind, trying to figure out what question reigned supreme in his stream of consciousness.

”What was that you called me?” This seemed like a good start. Siwon took his turn for confusion before chuckling lightly.

”I am sorry to have not explained! I skipped a grade and am only 17,” he uttered, seemingly happy with this explanation. A headache was beginning to creep through Heechul’s skull as he placed his head in the bed of his hands.

”That means nothing to me, Siwon,” he stated still cradled in his own palms. “I don’t know what that word is.” This seemed to flick a lightbulb on over Siwon’s head; Heechul swore he could see its light wash over his wide shoulders.

”It is an honorific, of course! I do not take for granted that I have a friend that is older and wiser than I am!” He beamed at Heechul like a golden retriever, mouth wide in a manic grin. Heechul considered this answer thoughtfully, registering the sound bytes Siwon had given him. He had started school late due to the American system’s way of screwing over summer babies. Thus he had already achieved eighteen and would be rapidly approaching nineteen at graduation, making him this Adonis’ superior, but only technically. 

”Oh,” this is all he could think to say. He knew he could tell Siwon this was most definitely not customary in the United States, but he decided against it. For some reason, he didn’t want him to know and withdraw from using this vernacular. This thought bothered him, but thankfully he wasn’t allowed to nestle in his mind for too long before the period was drawn to an end by that familiar ring. He looked at Siwon blankly as a form of farewell, and was patted on his shoulder by the aforementioned before heading in opposite directions at the door. There was a certain relief in Heechul, knowing he could let his guard down for an hour.

Heechul was becoming exhausted of the routine of sinking back into a cool seat and listening to some welcome speech commence, taking everything in him not to fall asleep. All of five minutes had passed before he wished he had rotten tomatoes to throw and the privilege of heckling his instructors. It couldn’t have been more than ten minutes into the performance when he found himself pulling out his phone, and what he saw made him exasperated to say the least. He had one Facebook friend request and one new Twitter follower. Choi Siwon would like to be his friend? He already knew this; he didn’t need Facebook to remind him. However, when he saw the account that was attached to his forced friend, he nearly fell ill. This guy was unequivocally the most Christian person Heechul had ever seen. He posted a bible verse at least once a day, and his header photo was a large, wooden cross beneath a sunset. Heechul had to stifle a groan at the thought of this, knowing Siwon would be doing the same scrutinization to his page, only to realize he’s an atheist with an awry sense of humor. He tapped his fingertips nervously on his desk, wondering how long it was before Siwon acknowledged the topic uncomfortably and began to browbeat him into Sunday mass. It didn’t take him long to see dozens of honorary posts as well, including but not limited to: taekwondo, soccer, and debate. Heechul wondered why this kid didn’t just stay in his home town and rake in praise, but more than anything he wondered how someone so young could be so well-rounded. The thought of him looking through his page full of memes and music videos made him feel self-conscious. He had known Siwon for less than three hours and his opinion was already a hot topic in Heechul’s mind. He tried to force this thought as far back as possible, listening more intently to the current, forgettable “what’s up gang” speech from his try-hard teacher. When the man sat backwards on a chair, Heechul thought he might lose it. There was such a strange contrast between this pushy friendly demeanor and that of his second period teacher, who was just easygoing and all around friendly. He couldn’t help but think this man may be how Siwon would be in his thirties, though he wasn’t sure why he would possibly care about the concept, the idea of Siwon trying to be relatable gave him a chuckle. He leaned heavily on his hand, marking his face red and leaving his jaw slack as he daydreamed about his upcoming lunch, only brought from his thoughts of French fries by noontime chimes. This was another thing that had always made Heechul snort, some brown-noser got to volunteer the beginning of each year to go out and ring a comically large bell. The school claimed that it was because the bell had been there since its founding, and was part of the history. Heechul thought it was to weed out kids to be bullied for the minimum of one school year, teaching a valuable lesson to overachievers. He thought this was one good thing about being so reserved; he held the ability to not publicly shame himself like so many kids seem to do. He stood with his backpack and happened to glance out the window to see what poor sucker was making a fool of himself to, literally, ring in the schoolyear. He wasn’t sure why he was surprised at what he saw, and he thought maybe it was more secondhand embarrassment than surprise. Whatever the case, there stood Siwon, mile wide smile and rippling arms, pulling the rope on the lunch bell.


	3. Hot Burrito #1

Students were splitting in two streams like desperate schools of fish, running toward their lunch period as if into war. Heechul weaved through the shouting freshmen on their way to the cafeteria, in his seemingly futile effort to get out to the courtyard. He slid along the wall away from the surge of people and made it to the mouth of the building, bounding down the front steps toward the gate. His heart had been set on taking the bus home for his one hour lunch period since his lack of breakfast had started to catch up with him. His calculations told him he could get in a twenty minute nap between travel and grabbing something to eat. He eagerly stepped to the gate only to find Siwon stood under the arch talking to some junior girl, grinning ear to ear. A strange feeling sparked in his belly and he fully intended to pick up the pace and bolt toward his home before Siwon’s mile long grasp was encircling his waist and pulling him back.

”Nice to meet you!” Siwon announced in the girl’s direction as he pulled Heechul out onto the sidewalk in the opposite direction of the bus stop. 

“Can I help you?” Heechul found himself groaning at the tall boy’s unabashed use of touch toward him.

”I am taking you to lunch as a thank you for being so welcoming to me!” Siwon announced as he kept looking forward toward a paid parking lot adjacent to the school grounds. Heechul wasn’t sure what to think of this. On one hand, he didn’t feel he was being all that welcoming, but he was hungry and this way he wouldn’t have to ride more busses than necessary. He decided to keep quiet and march on with Siwon down the sidewalk. He had never had use for this part of the area, as the rates for parking at school were astronomical, and he didn’t have a car to park anyway. Siwon greeted the security guard in the little glass box who opened a gate for him to walk through, allowing him to lead the way for his means of transportation. Heechul’s eyes widened and he looked in disbelief as the fob in Siwon’s fingers caused the headlights on a shimmering white Audi TT to spring to life. 

“Is this your car?” He asked hesitantly, barely able to look away from the sleek vehicle to stare up at his companion.

”Well I didn’t steal the keys!” Siwon laughed, opening the passenger door to wave Heechul in like a prom date, causing a redness to rise to his face. He slid into the car, soft leather beneath his hands as he nervously slid them beneath his thighs. The ten seconds it took Siwon to get around the car felt like ten minutes to Heechul inside the virtually untouched car. He was afraid to breath in here, he was nervous as hell to be in its proximity at all. The new car smell still seemed to be in tact and he noticed there wasn’t even a hint of dirt on the floor mats. He leaned against the seat stiffly as Siwon clambered in, all limbs, and turned the key as the car roared to life. Siwon looked at Heechul for a moment before he spoke, as if waiting for the older to initiate a conversation for once. 

“Is there anywhere you recommend to eat, Hyung?” He turned with a questioning look to the passenger seat. Heechul tried not to be taken aback by the terminology again, and mulled the query over in his mind for a moment, but was coming up blank. He didn’t tend to eat out much, as it was money and time that he didn’t like to waste. He wasn’t a fan of going to the teen hangouts in town and having to see, well, the teens. Sometimes he felt like an old person trapped in a young person’s body, wanting to do more adult things than hang out at a fast food place or go walk around some mega store. His thoughts were wandering before he realized that Siwon was still waiting for him to get it together and muster up an answer. All of a sudden, a place struck his mind. 

“Go out of the gate and go that way,” he pointed right and Siwon’s eyes followed the length of his arm slowly to his hand, causing him to withdraw and slide his hand back under the warmth of his leg. Siwon did as he was told and swiped his key card at the gate, signifying a payment for the morning hours of parking. The bar swung up to a vertical position and he drove out onto the road as Heechul had instructed. They proceeded forward for a few miles and Heechul let the silence stretch for a moment before he realized their turn was coming up.

”Turn right by the coffee place,” he explained, bouncing his feet lightly on the floorboard. Siwon rolled slowly down the narrow drive toward downtown, pressing a button on his steering wheel to signal the radio. Music that Heechul didn’t recognize began playing softly on the speakers, and a bit of tension was eased as the silence quelled. Heechul saw the little place up ahead and pointed it out to Siwon, who parallel parked against the sidewalk. Siwon was able to step out onto the sidewalk, but Heechul had to wait for oncoming traffic. Much to his chagrin, Siwon walked around to his side and ushered him out, knowing well enough that no one wants to hit an expensive sports car. Heechul nodded his head toward his companion as he skittered around the car and onto the sidewalk, leading him into the small building. He stepped up first to the counter and greeted the heavyset owner.

”Hi, can I have a- number four please,” the man nodded in acknowledgement before looking to Siwon who parted his lips slightly before being cut off by Heechul. “No, it’s separate.”

”No, it is not,” Siwon stated decidedly, looking up at the menu. “What do you recommend?” Heechul wanted to argue but didn’t want to make a scene so he just made a mental note to pay him back. He proceded to look up and point toward the menu.

”I like the number four. My sister always gets the number eight, though, that one’s good too.” Siwon nodded and began to do something that would leave Heechul surprised once again. There he stood, speaking to the owner in fluent Spanish to order, making Heechul feel so small after saying ‘number four’ for lack of a better way. He pondered how he ended up here with this rich, fluent, enigma- that was the only word he could think to use. Heechul had never seen such a varied and mismatched display of qualities in another person. He wanted to hate him, but something inside him swelled for the jack of all trades, and he deflated in his presence. When Siwon turned back to him, he was entirely lost in his thoughts. The tall man watched him for one thoughtful moment before his natural demeanor broke through and he elbowed Heechul lightly.

”Where do you want to sit?” He posed this question as if there were more than four tables in the place. Heechul didn’t even have to think, leading him to the corner table in front of a large picture window. He sat with his back against the wall, leaning his elbows on the table. Siwon sat a glass bottle in front of him, taking a swig from one that looked similar.

”What is this?” Heechul pondered, turning the bottle to face him.

”Mexican Pepsi!” Siwon answered enthusiastically, taking another drink from his. Heechul thought Siwon must have picked these out while he stood daydreaming beside him. Siwon leaned with one hand gripping the back of a chair and his legs slightly out to the side. “It is much better than what they sell here,” he expressed confidently before turning to the sound of a bell. The man at the counter waved as he placed the food atop it, disappearing into the kitchen. Siwon sped up to the counter before turning on his heel with a basket of food in each hand. His killer smile lit his path as he strolled back to the table. Heechul thought he might look good on a pair of roller skates, gliding around some fifties diner. It took all of his composure not to laugh out loud, but he still cracked a smile. He thanked Siwon and blushed beetroot when the boy accepted with a wink and smile. They began to eat placidly, Heechul gazing out the window fondly.

”Starry Night,” Siwon stated apropos of nothing, squeezing green sauce onto his carne asada. Heechul glanced at him to see their eyes had been on the same place and smiled. The building adjacent to the restaurant had been painted ten feet high in Van Gogh’s famous painting, and Heechul had been admiring it today, and since childhood.

”It’s my favorite,” he stated after a bite of his burrito. “My sister has brought me here for years, and that mural never seems to fade.” He noticed that Siwon was looking at him fondly, and he buried his face back into his food to hide his eyes. He made a mental note to himself that he may actually like his new friend; he told himself he definitely did. They continued to eat in a comfortable silence until Siwon announced they had 15 minutes to return to school. They stood, tossing their trash, before returning to the car. Siwon asked Heechul if he wanted to Bluetooth his phone, and when he did he wasn’t sure he knew what to play. He just pressed shuffle and it landed on a song that he loved, but he worried Siwon may quirk a brow in his direction.

”Oh, I know this song!” Siwon instead proudly announced, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. “Do you like Korean music, Heechul?”

”Yeah, I stayed in Korea the summer I turned seventeen,” Heechul answered, relieved Siwon shared an interest in pop music. He noticed Siwon was mouthing the words and couldn’t help but smile at how cute he looked. Upon realizing this thought, he wanted to open the door and roll out, but they had already arrived at the parking lot. They slipped out of the car and Siwon locked the doors with a loud beep before jogging to catch Heechul who had already began to walk ahead. 

“In what part of Korea did you stay?” Siwon pondered when he came into stride with his shorter legged friend.

”Gangwon,” Heechul answered, looking up briefly from his walking path. “My relatives live there.”

”Did you visit Seoul at all?” Siwon continued his line of questions and Heechul tried to work his thoughts out one by one.

”Yes,” he stated simply, not sure how much detail Siwon was interested in from this simple question.

”Did you enjoy it?” Apparently more than minimally interested.

”Yes, I went at least once a week. The night life there is amazing.” 

“Seoul is where I am from,” Siwon stated cheerily, gazing off at nothing. “It is my favorite place in the world.”

”Then why are you going to school in America?” Heechul wasn’t sure if his tone had come out sharp or if he was just letting his anxiety get the better of him. If it happened to be the former, Siwon didn’t take note as he began speaking.

”My father believes it is best to be well traveled,” he explained simply. “I have been to many countries, but he said the United States had a great school that he wanted me to attend for my senior year.” Siwon never seemed to be unhappy, but he did seem neutral at best about being where he was. Heechul felt a sense of empathy; he hated this school and how the culture of being exorbitantly wealthy and not necessarily intelligent prevailed. He felt he worked harder than most to maintain good grades while a lot of the students’ parents could pay away any low GPAs. He could tell Siwon felt alienated in a different way, but he felt comfort knowing he wasn’t the only one that felt it. As they approached the gate once again, he realized he had planned to pay Siwon back. He dug in his pockets and immediately visualized his wallet atop his dresser at home. He groaned at himself for starting the day off in such a chaotic manner and looked up at Siwon who had been signaled toward him by his exasperated sound.

”What is it?” He asked, a tinge of worry to his eyes.

”I was going to give you some cash for lunch, but I forgot my wallet at home.” Heechul was increasingly frustrated with today and Siwon cackling at him was not helping.

”I told you that I was paying,” he reasoned, shaking his head softly.

”And I wanted to ignore that,” Heechul rebutted, letting out a long sigh. “I can’t believe I forgot it.”

”God works in mysterious ways,” Siwon said with another wink. Before Heechul could pose an argument, the warning bell rang.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter titles are all gonna contain song titles because I’m an idiot and I think they suit the theme. Thanks.


	4. End of a Day

 Heechul spent the rest of the day counting seconds until 3:30. He tapped his nails, he drew in his notebook, and when all else failed, he got on his phone. He scrolled through his timelines on social media, yawning at everyone’s identical posts. He had also received a text from his sister that was a picture of her watching Frozen on the couch in sweatpants, earning her a picture of him flipping her off. They texted back and forth for a bit before she stopped responding, probably taking a nap in lieu of keeping him entertained. He sighed as the class periods crawled by, having him ready to bang his head on his desk by 2:45. He looked hesitantly at his messenger app and wondered if he should, and ultimately decided he would. He penned a new message to Siwon.

 _This class is soooo boring._ Heechul pondered the message for a full minute, considering if he wanted to open this can of worms or not. He realized he may be thinking too hard; Siwon was extremely friendly. This would be fine. He sent it out and waited patiently for a response, playing a one touch game in the meantime. As he was growing tired of being stuck on one phase of this level, a notification bar blinked at the top of his screen.

 _I like my class. I just wish you were in it!_ The meaning of this message was lost on Heechul. He briefly considered flirting back and then had the awakening within himself that Siwon could not be flirting with him. Siwon was not aware that Heechul was not exactly straight, and he could probably never know that. This thought made Heechul sad, the idea that the only guy at this cushy school that ever payed him any mind was head over heels for Jesus Christ. He looked at the message until his eyes grew dry and sticky, begging him to blink. A response would come and then go, and he became aggravated by just how frustrating Siwon did tend to be. He decided to play it safe and stay just on the outskirts of the subject.

 _Lucky. This teacher is weird and he collects stamps. So ready to go home._ This would suffice. He decided not to direct attention in the way of missing Siwon’s presence as much as Siwon apparently missed his. How much that was, he wasn’t sure. 

From then on, class rolled on painfully slow, an arduous trek in his mind. Heechul could see the end of the tunnel ahead of him, and this made it worse. The only thing that passed the time was he and Siwon messaging back and forth, making small talk about the school day and the week ahead of them. Siwon told him that he would be excited to leave school today; he had taekwondo practice at four. It failed to surprise Heechul that someone with a physique like that was athletic. He thought to himself about how easy it was going to be for Siwon to get into college, the golden boy he was. He then realized that he would probably be at home on the couch by four, and that was his only goal for the day. He leaned on his elbow and visualized his fuzziest pajama pants that were calling his name. Thirty more minutes, he could wait thirty more minutes.

Heechul continued to message Siwon up until the bell rang, when he bolted from the building like his ass was on fire. The city bus waited for no man, and he knew it would be arriving at 3:30 on the dot. He spanned his legs in long strides down the corridor and out onto the front lawn, seeing the aforementioned bus with its doors open, letting on a small line of people. Heechul picked up the pace, running blindly, right into someone else. He stumbled backward off his feet and to the ground below, his book bag landing a few feet away. He looked up to see one of the loud and equally large boys from his second period class leering at him, six feet high. Heechul mustered an apology as he hid his embarrassed face in his bangs. His eyes bored holes into the sidewalk until he heard the boy scoff and walk off. When he did bring his gaze up, all he saw was the bus rolling onward away from him. He stood with a huff, turning to see a large all white pillar of a person approaching, holding his backpack. Heechul blinked a few times to focus his sights, unsure of the spectacle. There stood Siwon in a dobok, smiling down at him like he always seemed to do. Heechul swiped the dirt from his chinos and stifled a laugh at the spectacle that took his attention from his own incident.

”What, uh, what are you wearing there, Siwon?” He could hardly muster this sentence around his grin, taking note of the people that glanced in their direction and shook their heads.

”I told you I have taekwondo after school. I changed in the bathroom.” the boy in question shrugged and pushed Heechul’s backpack toward him. Heechul accepted it and ducked his head graciously, sighing as realization set in. The next bus did not run until 4:30, and he would be sitting for an hour with a phone on thirty percent. He blew his bangs away from his eyes and trudged to the gate with Siwon in tow.

”How do you get home, Heechul?” the boy pondered when he saw that his friend seemed to be headed toward the bus stop. 

“Bus,” Heechul answered without looking up. There was no actual bus system at this school; every parent either picked up their child or got them a car so they could cut out the middle man. He felt Siwon still looking at him and turned to face the puppy at his heels.

”Well, where is the bus?” He queried, interested in the lack of visible transportation on the street.

”I missed it. I have to wait an hour.” Siwon’s face was marked with worry at this information, looking at Heechul with a stern frown. This stretched on for an awkward moment, wheels spinning in his head before he spoke, and just like that he had an epiphany.

”I will take you home,” Siwon stood proudly with his hands on his hips, beckoning Heechul to follow him.

”You said you had taekwondo in twenty minutes,” Heechul stated sheepishly. “Isn’t that downtown?” Siwon pondered this for a moment, hand coming up to cradle his head in thought. Mere seconds went by before the light in his eyes increased, showing yet another idea forming in him, and he smiled in victory at his new plan.

”You will come with me, and I will take you home after!” He stated as if Heechul did not have a say in the matter.

”No, Siwon, I’ll just wait,” Heechul was not fond of the idea of sitting stoically in the dojang watching a bunch of hulking men fight each other and break things.

”What will you do otherwise?” Siwon challenged, already decided on how this interaction was going to go.

”I’ll wait here.”

”For an hour?”

”I’ll walk home.”

”How far is that?”

”About ten miles.”

Siwon made a face that Heechul could not read, and it made him uncomfortable. He looked at the taller boy who pursed his lips as if to make another declaration, but instead he heard a softer tone.

”The idea of you sitting here alone makes me sad. The idea of you walking home alone also makes me sad,” Siwon stated, furrowing his brows like a child that was being punished. Heechul looked at him momentarily and realized that this was breaking his heart, this beaming boy turning stony at his denial of letting him be his knight in shining Audi. He let out a sigh and walked in the opposite direction of the bus stop, and he noticed Siwon beaming at his unspoken victory over the debate.

”How long is practice?” He asked dryly without ever looking at Siwon, tugging at the straps of his backpack as he walked. 

“An hour,” the aforementioned answered, unlocking his car with two clicks of his key fob.

“So wouldn’t it be just as efficient for me to wait for the next bus,” Heechul stopped outside the passenger door and waited for an answer. Siwon quirked his head at this notion, a sly smile forming on his lips.

”But then you would not get to spend the afternoon with me,” and with that, he slid into the driver’s seat.

Heechul just nodded shyly in acceptance and plopped into the car, his backpack on his lap. He leaned back in his seat and watched the historic buildings pass by on their trip to downtown. The car was small and efficient, but Siwon never seemed to speed. Heechul thought if he had this car he would have gotten his license revoked by now, and if he were driving today they would have arrived already. He could hear Siwon humming whatever song he had on the radio, but he dare not look his direction. Instead, he played with the zipper on his backpack absentmindedly, not registering for a moment that they had stopped. Heechul looked up at the flat front brick building and chewed at his lip.

”It isn’t weird that I’m just like, here with you?” He let his fears be known, looking at Siwon for the first time during the car ride. 

“No,” Siwon said decidedly, unaware that this was ever a concern. “A lot of the guys bring their girlfriends with them.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it’s been a while I’ve had no creative energy as of late, but it seems to be coming back.


	5. Dinner

Heechul sat with his legs crossed in front of him. He squinted beneath the uncomfortable fluorescents, pulling his bangs down against his forehead with his fingertips. The thought of his company being comparative to a girlfriend’s was all but fleeting in his mind. When he looked around, he could understand the turn of phrase. He was outnumbered five to one by young women that all sat together and chatted, shooting him a questioning look when they caught him absentmindedly staring. He averted his eyes to his phone, which had been totally inactive since he had wrapped up the conversation he started with his sister. When he said he would be home a little late she shrugged it off relatively quickly, only saying if he was late for dinner their mother would be furious. He reassured her he would be on time, and that was where it ended. When he had tried to scroll through twitter, he saw that nothing was really happening, everyone had things they were doing in the middle of the afternoon. Heechul tried not to be rude, paying as much attention as his wandering mind would allow. Everyone else has someone to talk to, but the only person in the room that he knew was occupied.

Siwon was completely distracted by his instructor, making sharp movements each time the man ordered him to. Heechul was having trouble managing to maintain interest, baffled by Siwon’s ability to be so present in this activity. His eyes swept the room incessantly, his body wanting to be up and moving. He wished to himself that he had just walked home; he would have been half way there by now. This was all becoming too much as Heechul silently prayed for something interesting to happen. As if on cue, the part of martial arts that entrances every teenage boy seemed to be initiating. The students lined up before the instructor who placed a stack of thin boards on the floor. Siwon had chosen the back of the line which struck Heechul as odd. He would never expect the human light to shy from leading a group. His eyes scanned forward as the first boy took a stance, breaking through several boards at the sound of a yell from the instructor. He sat and critiqued the form in his mind, holding up an invisible seven point card in his imagination. It took all he had not to audibly snicker. The rest of them seemed to fall into that same routine of stepping up and demolishing around two thirds of the boards before bowing solemnly at the instructor. However, when Siwon made an appearance, he took a slightly different stance. Heechul noticed his was more reeled in, not stiff but straight. At the signal, his hand reached through the stack as if it would reach into hell and back. Heechul’s mouth gaped involuntarily at the sight of Siwon in front of a pile of obliterated strips of wood, smiling into the mirror in his direction. When the reflection winked at him, he did everything to hold a blush, the sight of Siwon’s pride too encompassing. He felt it eclipsing every other aura in the room, broken only by the humble bow to follow.

Everything else that happened seemed hereby irrelevant, seeing Heechul zone out for the remainder of the hour. He almost missed Siwon bounding up to him, sweat beading his brow. The buzzing in his ears only cleared by the utter clarity he felt when the boy asked him if he was ready to go. He nodded and stood to follow, wondering when Siwon had time to change into his street clothes. Had he really been that far gone? His body moved involuntarily out of the building and down the sidewalk. He was wrapped up in himself before he realized Siwon was looking at him again.

”Are you going to get in the car?” The question carried an amused energy, seeing Siwon quirk the side of his mouth into a smirk. Heechul wondered how long he had been standing with his hand hovering beneath the door handle. He gripped his mind long enough to duck into the vehicle shyly, buckling his seatbelt. 

“Sorry if that was boring,” Siwon spoke again, running a hand through his hair. “I know an hour is a long time to twiddle one’s thumbs.” Heechul wanted to stare at him unabashedly, wanted to speak easily, wanted to...

”It’s okay,” this was better than nothing, that he was sure of. Siwon looked stoic now, as if it had been confirmed that Heechul had better things he could be doing. He tried to think of a way to make that look go away, panicking at its sight.

”I actually thought it was pretty cool, the way you broke the boards and stuff,” what stuff, he was not sure as he crossed his ankles uncomfortably, looking for something to do with his buzzing energy. He noticed Siwon perked up at the compliment, he was sure to file this into useful information. Siwon loved praise.

”Thank you! I worked very hard on that ability!” The tall boy was almost cheering his sentences, burgeoning with pride once again. Heechul’s heart eased as Siwon began to explain how he was actually the youngest person in the country to reach fourth dan, but that was Korea. Here in the United States he had to prove himself to be the best, he seemed to love being the best. That should be an annoying quality, so why did Heechul find it to be such a charming quirk? How had he been pulled in so easily to this tractor beam that was Siwon? How had it been less than twenty-four hours? How long had he been staring at him before he realized he was talking to him?

”I do not know where you live, hyung,” Siwon’s brow was furrowed in confusion as Heechul re-emerged from his mind with a jump.

”Sorry, Siwon, turn right on Chestnut and keep going straight. I’ll point the house out,” Heechul was cursing himself silently, the fog being swept from around him swiftly. He crossed his arms tightly over his chest, squeezing his torso as if it needed to be secured to this plane of existence. He raised his left arm only to point toward his house. “That one.”

He expected Siwon to parallel park, but he pulled into the drive. He expected Siwon to wave him goodbye and drive away, but he stepped out of the car. As if some divine being needed a laugh, he had no time to confront the situation before his mom came galloping down the front steps, ready to ask all there was to know about his first day of senior year. Heechul had no time to think, let alone act, before Siwon was stepping toward his mother to greet her, pulling her into a hug. He watched this whole business unfold before him, his mother blushing like a schoolgirl when Siwon introduced himself. The only source of tension seemed to emenate from him, left off to the side, a witness only. When they seemed to remember that he was stood there beside them, his mother spoke to him for the first time. 

“Heechul-ah, can your friend stay for dinner?” She was only using him as a buffer, looking up at Siwon for the answer. Siwon eagerly agreed before Heechul ever got a word in, almost running to the house in tow of Heechul’s mother. The scene was amazing to Heechul, a whirlwind of decisions made without his consultation. He stood on the front sidewalk for a moment before going in, wondering what good could possibly come of this.

His gut tended to steer him in the right direction. The smirk that his sister shot at him was deadly, her arms crossing over her chest as Siwon shook their father’s hand. Heechul returned a warning glare that they both knew was an empty threat, cut short by her turn at being greeted. The whole scenario was almost sickeningly sweet, the way Siwon won over everyone that stepped before him. Watching from the outside made Heechul realize that he must have spent all day looking just like his mother looked now, enthralled in Siwon’s way of speaking, his way of being. His arms spanned long and wide, gesturing grandly while telling some story that would not usually enduce feelings of grandeur, so why was everyone so mesmerized? If quizzed on this immediately afterward, Heechul would not be able to regurgitate any details about this story, though he thought maybe it had to do with farming. His sister had begun to notice how withdrawn he was, and decided she could get some quality entertainment out of the situation. 

“What do you think, Heechul?” she asked, the corners of her mouth curling into a Cheshire grin. Heechul narrowed his eyes at her momentarily, letting her know he would kill her later. He felt everyone’s eyes on him, and decided he would not let himself falter. 

“I think that’s great!” he said with a smile, straightening his back. He noticed his parents’ disgusted looks, and wanted to be buried alive at the realization that that answer was not sufficient.

”You think drought is great, Heechul?” his mother asked incredulously, putting her hand over her heart. Why did it have to be drought? What teenage boy brings up fucking _drought_ at the dinner table. Heechul began to redden in discomfort before Siwon spoke eagerly from the other side of the table.

”I think that hyung means it is great that I am interested in UNICEF!” he announced proudly, reframing the situation. Heechul saw his mother break into a smile as she looked at Siwon, accepting the explanation simply because it came from the chamber behind that bright ivory smile. He all but sighed in relief, nodding his head to try and make it seem that that had always been the idea. Everyone seemed to shift their attention from him instantly, listening to Siwon continue onto some tale about Seoul. His parents seemed to warm at his stories, dishing out their own about Gangwon, the light in his mother’s eyes growing effervescent. Heechul could cry at the sight, knowing his mother would die to return home. His parents had only come here for his father’s work, counting the days now until his retirement. He rolled his food around with his fork as Siwon described at great length the Goyang Flower Festival. Heechul could almost smell the hibiscus as he let his eyes briefly slip closed, imagining himself alongside Siwon below the floral arches. A smile painted his lips as he maintained to stay completely present, forgetting the incessant buzzing in his brain. He knew this situation was strange given he had known Siwon for all of ten hours, but he had decided he did not care after he saw his parents light up at his presence. Heechul listened through the rest of dinner, even piping up with a comment now and then. He noticed his sister quirking a brow at him, but he pretended that he had not.

When dinner was over, Siwon walked backwards down the front walk, waving animatedly at everyone. He turned to jog to his car, driving off with another round of goodbyes shouted past the rolled down window. Heechul retired to his bedroom to play some computer games, getting as far as the login screen before his sister sauntered into his room and flopped down on his bed.

”Who knocks, anyway?” he pondered aloud in aggravation.

”Not my style,” she responded simply, sitting cross-legged as she faced her brother.

”That was rhetorical,” Heechul had not bothered to turn around, checking the daily message board absentmindedly. Heechul thought about asking her to just go away, as if she cared that he was clearly irritable.

“Rhetorical isn’t my style either.”

”What the hell do you want?” he had spun around to face her, his headset hanging around his neck. He noticed how bored she looked, trying to maintain nonchalance as she organized the thoughts behind her eyes. She ran her gaze up the back of her own hand, inspecting her fingernails as she spoke.

”I want to know how you managed to get a boyfriend on the first day of school.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for being so patient. I’ve had a lot going on but I hope to fall back into a rhythm with this story. <3


	6. Pancho & Lefty

The rest of the week went by in a pleasant blur. Siwon had dinner with Heechul’s family every night, and he had begun picking him up for school every morning. Multitudes of students had introduced themselves to Siwon, and he had taken note, but he had not strayed away far enough to miss any time with Heechul. They had become accustomed to finding seats near one another, and to having lunch together every day. This routine stayed steadfast through to Friday, when Siwon had asked Heechul what his weekend plans were. Heechul mulled over in his mind how to say that he intended to play video games in his underwear and watch YouTube videos.

“Probably just hang out at home,” he decided after a moment of dramatic silence.

“Oh,” Siwon responded, seemingly emotionless at the statement. He looked like he wanted to say something else, quirking his jaw in a lopsided, pondering face. Heechul watched him uncomfortably for what felt like forever, shifting in his seat.

“What are you doing this weekend, Siwon?” he asked around the papers that he had begun to shuffle on his desk.

“The same as you,” Siwon remarked unenthused, leaning his head in his hand.

“Well,” Heechul paused for thought, tucking his lips in and running his tongue between them in contemplation. “Did you want to, like, hang out or something?” His hands became unreasonably busy with a paperclip for the top of his documents, trying to make the thin metal parallel to the sheets.

“That sounds very fun!” Siwon’s demeanor never seemed to waiver for long becoming sunny so easily at the sound of Heechul’s voice. They shared a smile and sat silently for the rest of that class, the day already half way over at this point.

When the lunch bell rang, they walked together to the curb, discussing what sounded good that afternoon. Heechul had yelp open on his phone looking for sushi places when Siwon shot a pointer finger to the sky like a lightbulb had been screwed in above his head.

“We can go to a steak house!” He shouted, elated at his epiphany. Heechul could not help but smile at him and raise his eyebrows at the idea.

“We only have an hour, Siwon, and I only have like ten dollars.”

“Never mind that,” Siwon stated, unwavering in his resolve to have some grade a beef. He took off down the sidewalk toward the car, Heechul in tow.

“Siri,” he said determined, as if she would not answer if he was not firm with her. “Direct me to the nearest steakhouse.”

Heechul watched him bemusedly as he drove like a man with a plan, ten minutes to the nearest chain steak restaurant. He screeched through the city streets to the crowded parking lot, making Heechul wonder why so many people have the time to eat steak at noon on a Friday. Siwon leaped out of the car, beckoning him to follow, power walking to the restaurant. Heechul was becoming concerned with this plan already, they would surely be on a wait and he was not sure why Siwon was so excited about this. He skittered across the parking lot to meet the aforementioned at the door, wincing at the onslaught of country music that blasted through his ears. He looked around and saw that there was no line for the maitre d’, causing him to wonder where all of the people in all of those cars were stashed away. They were seated nearly immediately, a conveyer belt of bread being rolled down for their server to bring along. Heechul began to understand everything as they moved deeper into the building, making the trek to their seating. The whole place was tables, dozens of waiters rushing to and fro as busboys cleaned with expert speeds. They were sat near the back around the corner from the kitchen, in a two seater booth adorned in silverware with rustic handles and drink menus shaped like arrowheads. Heechul was not sure what culture they were going for, with Mexican draperies that clashed with the random faux Cherokee artifacts that hung from the rafters. He looked at the waitress now as she gave a red lipped smile, hair towering in Dolly Parton curls.

“What are we drinkin’ today?” She asked enthusiastically, pen and pad clutched in her hands.

“Water,” Heechul said, a safe bet as he had been too distracted to look at the menu.

“I will have a tea please,” Siwon smiled at her and she giggled in return.

“I’ll be right back,” and with that she disappeared to the back. Heechul sat looking at Siwon for a moment, unsure of how to proceed.

“So,” he started, pondering over the nicest way to say what he was thinking. “This place is- overwhelming.”

“Do you think so?” Siwon asked as he looked all around at the bright colors. “I think it is electrifying!”

Heechul opened his mouth to talk again, but was interrupted by the return of the woman he could now see was name Candace. She sat their drinks in front of them and brought the tablet back out from her apron.

“Any appetizers, fellas?” She was just as enthusiastic as Siwon if not more, Heechul was not sure if he was mesmerized or sickened.

“Do you recommend anything- Candace?” Siwon had leaned around to see her name badge and she giggled again, that high pitched clear sound.

“Please, call me Candy!” She beamed, and Heechul settled on sickened. “And I love the fried pickles!”

“Then that is what we will have!” Siwon was almost bubbling over with positive energy, and Heechul was getting quickly overwhelmed.

“Are we ready to order?” She asked as a follow up question and Siwon jumped right in to ordering an eight ounce steak, causing Heechul to realize he had not looked at the menu even once. Siwon was finished as he nervously scanned the laminated paper. The waitress looked at him with a glimmering smile and he apologetically winced in her direction.

“Do you have, um, like a four ounce steak?” He asked and she nodded brightly.

“Kid’s steak meal! How would you like that cooked?”

“Well done I guess,” he answered, trying not to slide down into the cushions of the booth. She nodded at him and took off with the menus, leaving the two to their own devices as Siwon ate a roll and nodded in encouragement for Heechul to join him. Heechul was putting butter in the middle of it when Siwon talked again.

“Where is my drink?” He asked a little concerned as he gave the table a once over.

“It’s right there, Siwon,” Heechul answered before putting the roll into his mouth.

“Oh,” he exclaimed, his brows furrowed. “It is cold?”

“Yeah, they do that here,” Heechul explained with a hand in front of his mouth, watching as Siwon took a drink and scrunched his nose disapprovingly.

“Oh, that is just awful,” he nearly shouted and Heechul was trying hard not to choke laughing.

“It’s sweet tea,” he managed to explain over the ever chewy bread.

“Well, it is awful,” Siwon said decidedly as he grimaced at his glass. “That is hardly tea.”

Heechul was cackling desperately when the waitress came back with the fried pickles, sitting them in the middle. Siwon tugged on her apron like a child and she quirked an eyebrow at him.

“May I have a water?” He asked, defeated at the notion of having to explain that Americans have ruined tea for him.

“Uh, sure,” she said, returning the dazzling smile to her face, and now Heechul could tell that it was forced. She scuttled off to the drink station once again, returning like she was never gone. Siwon thanked her warmly, and Heechul realized he had already been mindlessly eating the fried pickles, acknowledging her with a nod. He dipped another in the ranch dressing and saw that Siwon was watching him curiously.

“Are those good?” He asked, fear laced in his voice from the betrayal he had just suffered.

“I like them,” Heechul shrugged, popping the breaded snack into his mouth. Siwon reached across the table to take one, smelling it briefly before putting it in his mouth. They made eye contact and Siwon nodded briefly.

“This is acceptable.”

They sat there eating until there was nothing left, Heechul obsessively checking the time to see that it was twelve thirty when their entrees arrived. He saw that Siwon’s came with a respectable baked potato, while his came with macaroni and cheese that was in the shape of little cowboy hats and boots. He tried his best not to slam his head off the table at the sight, and thanked Candy as convincingly as he could.

Heechul began to eat hurriedly while Siwon pondered over every bite of meat slowly, writing a thesis in his mind about the textures and tastes. The former was getting impatient quickly, seeming to be the only one that thought about the fact that the lunch period was drawing to an end.

“Siwon,” he started, watching as the boy met his eyes, chewing still on his steak. “We have to be back in like fifteen minutes.”

“Well, the thing is, I really do not have to attend my next class, so I was thinking we would have car trouble on the way back to school,” he stated plainly, taking a sip of his water.

“Siwon!” Heechul was almost giddy at the idea of Siwon being a normal kid, but it still felt wrong in the depth of his mind. “We can’t just skip class.”

“We are not ‘skipping’,” he continued around a bite of beef. “We are having car trouble. You better get the story down before we get caught.”

He was smiling at Heechul mischievously, taking the last bite of his steak and sliding a bit of potato around in the butter that had melted onto his plate. Heechul considered protesting, but he did have one of his more boring classes next, and he would not mind letting his food digest a bit. He nodded in agreement to the plan and took a bite of his macaroni, smiling up at Siwon, a new respect behind his eyes.

They sat unbothered for the next thirty minutes or so, Heechul throwing the ten dollars he had down as a tip after Siwon stated plainly to the waitress that it would be one tab. She looked at them a little funny, a light sparking behind her eyes as if she knew something that they did not. Heechul did not like that look; it made him feel small. Siwon led him to the car, talking the whole way about how the problem was the radiator and that they had to stop and get coolant. Heechul was surprised at the rich city boy’s knowledge of cars, something he was clueless about on every level. He repeated this tidbit back to Siwon, who smiled approvingly at his ability to tell the little white lie. They rolled into the lot nearly forty five minutes late, cutting the class in half. There was not a soul to be seen in the lot or in the courtyard. Siwon strolled confidently up to the main office, loosening his tie on the way. He dramatically wiped his forehead as he asked to talk to the truancy officer.

“He’s not here,” the secretary looked bored as she clicked her acrylics off of the desk.

“Well, who must I apologize to about being late?” He continued, bringing out his sweetest voice. “We had car trouble on the way back from lunch, and my worst fear is getting Kim Heechul in trouble because of my personal failure.”

She looked at him for a moment, eyes panning over him at the top of her glasses. His apologetic smile sealed it all as he leaned his elbows on her desk, his head cradled in his hands.

“Don’t you worry about it, I’ll even call your instructors to let them know,” she said grasping the phone in her hand.

“Thank you so much, you are such a sweetheart,” Siwon left her with these words, and Heechul could not help but think he had laid it on a little thick. They had already started down the hallway when Siwon smiled down at him with that mischievous glint back behind his eyes. “Easy.”


	7. Untouchable Face

Heechul’s instructor was too wrapped up in a speech about his love for the mixed market system when Heechul walked in to even acknowledge his presence. The students that were not asleep were staring at him starry-eyed, and Heechul thought he should tweet about the juxtaposition between himself and the easily entertained and overwhelmingly uninformed classmates that took control of the front row. Then, he thought about if that would make him look jaded and sad. He didn’t want Siwon to think of him like that, and from what he could tell, he seemed to have post notifications on for him on every social media platform, so he pushed that idea away. Heechul thrummed his fingertips on the desk as the man before him announced cheerily that they had weekend work to do, and a couple of students dared to audibly groan. He didn’t seem to notice or care, explaining that he looked forward to everyone’s persuasive pieces. His hands were clasped at his shoulder as if he felt truly giddy when he finished his monologue by telling everyone that no one has ever been good enough to change his opinion, but they should look forward to the challenge.

With that, the bell rang, and Heechul shuffled toward his last class. He opened his phone to find his favorite meme, the one of the guy at the table that had a sign reading ‘change my mind’ on it, and opened a new message to Siwon.

_My government teacher last period._

He laughed as he sent it out into the ether, opening his locker to pick up the government book that had been collecting dust for the week, shoving it in his bag in exchange for a couple of smaller books. He looked at the miniature poster that he had put up on the door with a magnet, a Korean girl group that he had seen with Kyunghoon last year. He traced over the face of their leader, a short girl with the most perfectly styled bob he had ever seen. He remembered her being really pretty in real life, but mostly he remembered the way Kyunghoon looked all dressed up with a bit of glitter on his cheekbones that you could only see when you were mixing breath with him.

“I do not understand your message,” Siwon was stood behind the door of Heechul’s locker when he shut it, scaring him half to death.

“What do you mean?” He asked after a slight jump.

 

“This meme image. How does it relate to your instructor?” Heechul looked at him for a moment and wondered if it was worth it to explain that his teacher was the biggest asshole ever, and wanted to argue for the sake of argument. Before he could launch into a speech about the dangers of being a devil’s advocate like that, the warning bell rang and he began walking backwards down the hall.

“Talk later,” he shouted as he now ran further from Siwon, who stood lingering by his locker.

From the moment Heechul walked into class to the moment he left, the substitute sat at the computer, silently mining gold in Runescape. It felt almost intrusive, like he had entered this man’s bedroom in the middle of his me time. In lieu of staring uncomfortably for a moment longer, he opened his notebook and began to work on his persuasive essay, _The Pitfalls of Capitalism_. His goal was not to best the instructor; you can’t humiliate a fool, so he just decided to write a damn good paper that would have to be graded well on technicality. He opened his phone to his kindle app, looking for quotes to cite from his digital copy of The Communist Manifesto. He could already see the look of disdain on his teacher’s face, and it fueled him to know he could make the man that bored him to tears every day struggle through his essay.

His paragraph on the effect that poverty has on crime was coming to a neat finish when he noticed that it was already three o’clock. Heechul couldn’t help but smile down at the two pages of rough text and scratched out lines; notes filling every margin. He cracked his knuckles and sank back into his chair, leaning his head over the back of it briefly, rolling his neck to see the “teacher” typing furiously into a chat window as if his life depended on it. Heechul felt himself blow air out his nose, amused by the fact that everyone around him had been watching YouTube, cheating on homework, or mindlessly gabbing for the better part of two hours. The girl next to him seemed to be replicating in colored pencil “Archers Shooting at a Herm”, but he noticed she was using Naruto characters instead of angels. He admired her tenacity.

The bell rang only after Heechul had wrapped up his paper with a thesis statement about why capitalism will ultimately crumble. All he would have to do now is type it up nice and neat, working the notes into the paragraph or into the cite page. He smiled in triumph as he slung his messenger bag over his shoulder, trotting down the steps to meet Siwon toward the entrance. He wasn’t yet there leaning against the wrought iron gate like he normally was, so Heechul puttered around the courtyard for a bit. It was truly a beautiful day, birds perched in the oak tree that grew up and over the perimeter fence. Heechul tried to capture a wren on his camera only for it to come out grainy in the shade of the leaves over him. He cursed the android camera silently before feeling someone bump his shoulder affectionately.

“What are you taking pictures of, hyung?” Siwon asked around the end of a churro. Heechul glanced at his lips that were coated in cinnamon sugar, following his tongue with his eyes as it mopped at the edges of his mouth.

“I- birds,” he answered simply, all that his brain could muster in the moment. “Why do you have a churro?”

“I went to this meeting after school where they talked about all of the language clubs,” Siwon answered as he chewed a full bite of the dessert, swallowing before he continued. “They all but offered me president of the Korean club, and the Spanish club was passing these out.”

Heechul nodded in understanding as Siwon took another greedy bite before offering him the end of the fried confection, which he took without a second thought. He popped it into his mouth to carefully try and avoid making a mess with the granules of sugar, and nodded pleasantly at Siwon to let him know he also thought it was delicious. He only smiled down at him in the placid way he always did, bringing his thumb to wipe a bit of stray sugar from the corner of Heechul’s mouth before turning to walk toward the entrance of the grounds. Heechul sped up to bridge the distance, catching him at the edge of the sidewalk. They walked silently to the car where Siwon turned to face him momentarily, eyebrows furrowed.

“Do you mind if we stop at my house?” He asked even though it was his car, showing once again the way he always put other people, especially Heechul, first. Heechul nodded wordlessly, sinking back into the leather seat, his hands stretching up behind his head tiredly.

The trip was short, the school being within a ten minute drive from the housing edition that Heechul had passed on the bus an innumerable amount of times. Siwon drove through the curving neighborhood, punching in the gate code in front of a dark brick house. The windows that overlooked the drive were tall and rounded, encircled by slightly lighter brick than the rest of the house. A few willow trees swung sadly in the breeze, grazing the grass of the front lawn. There were a few accents scattered all along the path; a few large rocks and bird baths set in patterns on either side. When they approached. Siwon pushed a button on his visor, signaling the three car garage to slide open. There seemed to be no one else here, only a lone bike hanging on the wall at the back of the room. They pulled in and the door slid down behind them, leaving them alone in the silence of the indoors.

Siwon got out first and Heechul followed quickly, unsure of how to act in this place. When the former opened the door, the latter jumped at the sound of a dog barking. Siwon rushed in and quieted the small beast, Heechul hanging to the door frame to keep him alive. He didn’t say anything until Siwon eyed him with an eyebrow cocked.

“More of a cat person,” he muttered, straightening up and shuffling onto the marble in his socked feet. Siwon hadn’t told him to take his shoes off but he wouldn’t be caught dead in a house like this with his loafers still on, so he had placed them gingerly at the edge of the garage. Heechul watched as Siwon ascended a white marble staircase that seemed to meld into the floor, ascending in a spiral up however many flights. He stood and admired the deliberately matched black furniture that speckled the open concept kitchen and living room, stopping to feel the suede of the sofa. The floor felt cold, even through his socks, and he relished in the feeling of the fluffy throw rug that ran underneath the coffee table. A book of Antonio Lopez photos sat in the middle of it, black and white and flesh on the cover in the form of Jerry Hall polaroids. He skimmed his fingers on the cover and turned the page absentmindedly, falling prey to the conversation piece. Before he was even half way through the pages, Siwon came bounding down the stairs carrying a black Nike gym bag. He turned to make eye contact with him only to find he was waving for him to head back to the garage, a remarkable glee in his eyes. Heechul chased after him, nearly stumbling over when he bent to put his shoes back on. He plopped back down in the car and waited for Siwon to successfully turn around in the drive before speaking.

“Your house is really nice,” he stated between glances at the foliage that spanned the length of the property.

“Yes,” Siwon acted like he had more to say, but just sighed quietly in exchange for words. He punched in the code again, this time to let him out and to arm the alarm. They began the crawl out of the gated community and onto the main road, taking the short journey to Heechul’s neighborhood. Siwon had removed his jacket and had his sleeves rolled up, and it seemed that he had chucked his tie somewhere in his house. Heechul watched him in the shadow of the tinted windows, angular and handsome in the low light. He coughed and jolted the aforementioned to look over at him, offering a closed mouth smile when they met eyes. Heechul thought he would vomit when Siwon reached over to pat him on the knee.

He could already hear his mom’s joyous shrieks in his head when Siwon parked on the street in front of his house. She wouldn’t care that Heechul invited him without asking, because she had been hounding him all week to make sure Siwon feels comfortable in this strange country. She had given him the speech about how hard it was when she first immigrated, and it meant nothing to her when he explained over and over that Siwon was used to travel. Heechul wondered if she wielded this excuse just because she loved having the boy around so much. He sighed when he heard her actual screams at the sight of Siwon coming up the walk with his overnight bag.

“Are you staying the night, Siwon-a?” She was already wrapping an arm around him and ushering him up the steps, and Heechul vaguely heard Siwon confirm. He followed them through the doorway, a few paces behind, and toed off his shoes at the door. He shuffled into the kitchen where his mother was making what smelled like budae-jjigae, but when he moved to lift the lid, he was met with the business end of a wooden spoon and a harsh scoff from his mother.

“You will wait for your father like everyone else!” She warned, still shaking the spoon, and Heechul threw his hands up in defeat.

“Okay, eomma, sorry!” He stepped around her cautiously and gestured for Siwon to follow him up the stairs. He in turn bowed to Heechul’s mother who slipped him a spoonful of kimchi, and jogged up the stairs to meet Heechul in the hallway. The latter waited for him at the mouth of the corridor, shuffling his feet against the stair runner.

“Here’s the bathroom on the right, and my room is the first on the left here. Premium real estate,” Heechul joked as he turned the handle to his bedroom door, ushering Siwon in. He thanked god that he had made his bed this morning, and that he had kept his clothes off the floor. He tried not to be self conscious about his Asuka figurines and all of his video game posters, dropping into his computer chair with a huff. Siwon roamed the space slowly, touching a few knick knacks before moving to flop down on the bed as if it were his own.

“Your bed is very soft,” he stated as he stretched upward onto it like a cat on a ledge. Heechul noticed that his shirt had ridden up and he could see the lines of his muscles bridging his abs to his waistband. A ray of sun cut through his blinds and onto Siwon’s skin, spotlighting the show that only Heechul was watching. He sighed shakily and Siwon leaned up on his elbows, his eyes smiling even when his mouth wasn’t. Just as the silence edged on uncomfortable, Heechul heard the front door click shut, and his mom yelling up the stairs.

“Boys, dinner!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really need to work on posting more regularly i’ve been having a lot of trouble staying motivated lately. hopefully i’ll get a pace with this story ;-;


	8. And Dream of Sheep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mild spoilers for Method (2017) but nothing too crazy

Heechul hated to see how tired his father looked every evening after work. His routine was almost rhythmic, shedding his jacket and sphoes before shuffling into the living space. Fridays were his latest work days, wringing the final bits of paperwork out of his schedule at the last minute. Sometimes, it would be dark before they would eat, Heechul’s mother fretting over rapidly cooling meat. In their younger years, the kids would eat without him, approaching bedtime before they ever saw their father. This lent to an often unseen strain on Heechul’s mother, who waited valiantly for her husband before even thinking twice of the food that waited for her on the cooktop. Heechul was happy tonight wasn’t one of those nights, seeing his dad saunter into the house around five o’clock, toeing off his shoes at the door. The kids were gathered in the connected living and dining area, lined up to greet him. Siwon earned a familiar pat as the others did, blossoming from the attention. Heechul felt the look in Siwon’s eyes pull at his heartstrings before he led the taller boy to the dining room.

They were all placed around the table when Heechul’s mom carried out a two handled pot that smelled of familiar spices. Heechul quirked his mouth when his suspicions were confirmed at the sight of the sausage stew. He dared not to reach for the spoon first, his mom waiting vigilantly to smack him once more if he made a move. Instead, she ladled soup for everyone, starting with her husband and ending with herself. Heechul seemed to remember she had started with Siwon the first night, but she let him fall down the line now as if he were one of her own and not just a guest. He also pondered over why Siwon’s knee still touched his even with the leaf that had been added to the table after his first visit. His nerves felt frenetic in the point where he could feel Siwon’s warmth, almost dropping his glass when they bumped elbows. On the other end of the table his mom was tearily telling a story about how her family stayed fed on this dish after the war, Siwon’s dimples showing themselves as he patted her hand encouragingly. Her fondness showed in her eyes as she looked at her husband, sharing a thought almost telepathically. Heechul felt completely off the wavelength as he ate a bite of kimchi, glancing at his sister who was already looking at him, something he couldn’t quite read in her expression. He suddenly felt claustrophobic surrounded by everyone’s emotions, thoughts written all over their faces in a language he didn’t know.

His announcement that he was running to the restroom came out self conscious and rushed, his feet pattering rapidly up the steps. He sat on the edge of the bathtub, fiddling with a loose string at the edge of the shower curtain. The automatic air freshener spritzed the air above the sink, riddling the small space with a tropical scent that he wasn’t partial to. Heechul waved his hand in front of his nose violently and slumped his body down into the empty bathtub. He gazed upward at a ladybug that crawled slowly along the ceiling and had the idea to kill it, but grimaced at the thought of that freshly crushed ladybug smell. It would be a lot of effort to stand and try to smash it with a shampoo bottle anyway, so he just watched it move.

His neck was strained and his back began to hurt in his current position, making him realize he must have lost track of time. As he clambered to his feet, he was startled by a small knock on the door. Expecting it to be his sister coming to mock him for one thing or another, he flung it open with a dramatic huff. However, the door didn’t open to his sister, but to Siwon who smiled down at him sheepishly.

“I was just coming to see if you are okay?” He seemed a little unsure of himself, posing the sentence as a question.

“Yeah,” Heechul couldn’t think of an excuse as to why he was gone so long, and when he saw the look that formed in the creases above Siwon’s eyes and at the corners of his downturned mouth, he felt guilty for disappearing in the first place. “I’m fine.”

“That is good. Your mother made ppopgi and told me to retrieve you before your sister steals them all.”

“She made candy? You must be her most honored guest, Siwon.” Heechul’s mood increased a few points as he stepped out into the hallway, offering Siwon a small smile. It disturbed him when it wasn’t returned.

“Heechul it is your parents’ anniversary.” Siwon looked at him deadpan, and Heechul felt a little embarrassed under his gaze.

“Why do you know that and I don’t?” He groaned as he whirred past Siwon and down the stairs.

“I pay attention, hyung.”

Heechul made sure to catalog that burn for the times he thought that Siwon was an android, but for now he pretended he didn’t hear it. His sister was sitting on the arm of the couch, absentmindedly watching the news while she ate the homemade lollipop. He noticed that his father was a mirror of her, sitting in the middle of the couch with his legs crossed and the candy in his hand.

“You’ve decided to rejoin us,” his mother pinched his cheek as she placed a lollipop into his hand, a small cat’s head stamped into the middle of it.

“Thanks eomma,” he and Siwon both chimed as she passed the ppopgi to the latter. She just smiled and nodded, heading to the kitchen to fill the dishwasher.

Heechul seemed to remember his mom bringing him a nice outfit a week or so ago, rambling on something about wearing it to something, and it started to click that they would have a small gathering tomorrow night.All of his parents’ friends would show up and bring gifts and food, and Heechul would be empty handed. He sighed to himself and looked to Siwon, who cleared the table with his lollipop crammed in his cheeks. Heechul noticed the paper stick hang idly from his mouth; he noticed the glossy, and slightly sticky texture of his lips. He firmly pushed the heel of his hand into his forehead as if there was a latch he could break loose to let all of the fog out of his mind. His mother was talking somewhere distantly and in Korean, and he focused really hard to understand what she was saying. He thought it might be a colloquialism, because it didn’t seem to scan in his head the way that it should. Siwon laughed, so he knew it was probably another anecdote, and maybe it was about him by the way Siwon looked his way. Heechul felt the tips of his ears heat up and he shook his hair loose to fall over them.

He made a move to the living room where he sat in an armchair and crossed his legs loosely, left ankle on his opposite knee. His dad and sister didn’t seem too entertained by the weather forecast, but they still forwent conversation to focus their eyes on the screen. Heechul felt a little excitement when he saw the promise of warm weather for the next ten days, an unseasonal prediction for this part of the country. He looked at the window and absentmindedly chewed on his candy, watching the sun beam low above the neighborhood.

It wasn’t until Siwon sat on the arm of his chair did he bite down too hard on the confection and cause it to shatter down his front. He groaned as he picked the shards off of his shirt and placed them in his palm, hearing his sister snicker from the couch. Heechul looked up at Siwon who smiled down at him softly and apologetically. The eye contact between them seemed to go on forever, until Siwon rolled his gaze downward. Heechul followed his line of sight as his wide hand moved to his lap, picking up a sliver of the confection that he had missed. His breath caught when he watched him place it between his teeth, smiling before he sucked it into his mouth.

There was a heat that consumed Heechul’s face even after Siwon stood to go upstairs. His stomach stirred uncomfortably as he tucked his knees up to his chest, chewing on what remained of his candy. He sat for a few moments like this, lost in his own thoughts, before his sister was smacking him repeatedly on the shoulder.

“Chul, I think your wife’s already gone to bed,” she stood before him with her ppopgi still in her hand, and it annoyed him even more than her statement that she had managed to eat around the star in the center of the confection without breaking it.

“Die,” he mumbled, stomping toward the stairs.

“Losing your creativity.”

It took nothing for her to push his buttons, and she had always been virtually impenetrable to his insults. He tried not to let what she had said bother him too much as his hand slid up the bannister toward his bedroom. When he arrived, the sight of Siwon sitting cross legged against his headboard did enough to wipe the annoyance from his mind. He was typing away on his MacBook, brow furrowed in concentration, but what caught Heechul’s eye was the round rims of the glasses perched at the bridge of his nose. He pushed them up with his right hand and startled momentarily from his screen when he saw Heechul in the doorway.

“Oh, hyung, I remembered I had a paper due on Sunday, but I thought I would submit it now since I finished it in my free period.”

“Your glasses. You wear glasses,” Heechul knew this wasn’t a sufficient response to Siwon’s statement, but the tortoiseshell frames bemused him.

“Yes,” the apples of his cheeks glowed subtly, like the sun had dusted them after a day on the beach. “I took my contacts out because they were irritating my eyes. That sometimes happens after a long day.”

“Oh okay,” Heechul was sitting now, spinning slightly left and right in his desk chair; he continued like this, ankles crossed and hands folded in his lap, until Siwon closed up his laptop and slid it back into his bag. He watched as the tortoiseshell glasses slid up to reveal Siwon’s tired eyes as his large hands eclipsed them in a rubbing motion.

“It’s been a long week,” Heechul thought aloud as his eyes travelled the expanse of Siwon’s palms, smooth as they were broad. His mom always said this indicated something very specific about a person. Money. Heechul became a bit tormented after seeing Siwon’s house, he realized this now. He wanted to ask why he had been spending so much time outside of its modern comforts; he didn’t.

“Yes. Very taxing,” Siwon seemed to agree out of convenience more than principle, shrugging his shoulders at the end of his declaration. He stretched his legs out on the bed and looked toward the window beside him, late afternoon sunlight stretching over the bridge of his nose. The planes of his face seemed to sparkle in the honeyed light from Heechul’s viewpoint. He felt maddened by the sight, so he tried to focus on his own lap where he picked his fingernails out of habit more than necessity.

“So, hyung, what do you normally do after school?” Siwon questioned, still turned away from Heechul.

“Well,” Heechul started, trying to ignore the golden glaze in Siwon’s irises as he watched wrens play in the tree out front. “Play games I guess. Sit on my phone, maybe,” he was doing the aforementioned now, looking at the notification badge that signified his almost thirteen thousand emails. He opened the app and ran his finger upward haphazardly, paying half attention to the dozens of emails from retail chains he got tricked into giving his email to at the register. Siwon had been silent for a moment and Heechul could feel him looking his way, but he couldn’t bring himself to meet his eyes. He was chalking his nerves up to Siwon’s intense energy, but he knew he held a certain amount of guilt for not being as interesting as Siwon treated him. He sat his phone face down on his desk and wiped his palms against his chinos, finally looking up to see Siwon lost in thought. He watched him for a moment, unsure of how to break the trance, before Siwon did it himself.

“Hey,” he spoke it almost out into the ether, lenses of his glasses glinting with light from the top of his head. “What kind of movies do you like?”

“Um, like, horror and thrillers. Stuff like that,” he wasn’t sure how Siwon would respond to this, his personality lent more to romcoms in Heechul’s eyes.

“I love thrillers! Do you want to watch a movie?” He was already pulling his laptop from his bag again, typing in his password excitedly.

“Yeah. Yeah, do you have one in mind?” Heechul felt a little more than relieved that they wouldn’t be watching the dance of birds through the window all evening. He stood and moved over to sit on the edge of the bed, left foot tucked under his body and right resting on the floor.

“There was a movie that came out last year that I saw, and I thought it was so amazing,” he answered as he searched for a free streaming link.

“What’s it called?”

“Method!”

Heechul held the title gingerly in the front of his mouth. He knew he had seen it online on someone’s best of the year list in December, but he couldn’t remember the synopsis.

“Come here,” Siwon patted the bed next to him and broke Heechul’s attempt at recollection. Heechul shifted up the headboard without a word, resting a pillow behind his back. His right side was flush with the wall, and Siwon cozied up alongside him so that they could share the screen.

“Can you see?” Heechul became very aware of how close Siwon was when he mumbled this in his ear during the opening sequence.

“Yeah,” he puffed out just above a breath, eyes glued to the screen as turning his face would surely result in bumping noses. “Can you turn on the subtitles?”

“Oh, that is right. Your Korean is not very good,” Siwon stated matter-of-factly, as he hit the setting cog in the top corner of the page.

“Oh, sorry I’m not actually _from_ Seoul, asshole,” Heechul mumbled, pouting subconsciously when Siwon chuckled at him.

“I am kidding, Heechullie. Now pay attention,” he settled down the bed a little further, resting the laptop against his bent knees.

Heechul wanted to melt into the wall in embarrassment, but instead he valiantly tried to absorb the words that rolled along the bottom of the screen, and he became quickly enthralled with the scenery. He was flitting his eyes between Park Seong ung riding his bike, and the subtitles of the voiceover. The style of the cinematography was up his alley with neutral, almost dreary aesthetics, and dynamic wardrobes. He remembered seeing a lot of boys that dressed like Oh Seunghun in Seoul, with shapeshifting fabrics and silver jewelry. He had missed the eye catching style when he returned home that fall.

By the time Heechul had become totally consumed by the film, Siwon began to nod off. The former didn’t notice at first; he was too busy desperately trying to read the dialogue without losing the visual aspects. When the two main characters found themselves on stage together with no one to watch, Heechul was craning his neck forward in anticipation. He held his breath as they read their penultimate lines and leaned into one another, lips brushing. His body was already tense from the climactic scene when he felt Siwon’s head tip onto his shoulder, nearly causing him to jump out of his skin. He looked down to slightly parted lips and closed eyes, his heart pounding due in part to the initial shock, and otherwise due to the nerves that burned all along the area at the crook of his neck where Siwon now nestled. His cheeks scorched a path from ear to ear, nervous gaze cast upon soft black locks that were tousled from their usually gelled state.

Heechul sank back against his pillow cautiously, shifting the laptop onto his own legs as he did. When he had managed to shimmy down comfortably into the bed, Siwon had snuggled into his chest, and slung an arm lazily over his ribs. Heechul held his breath for a moment to steady himself. He made himself think this was normal, that men did these things, even straight men. His better sensibilities told him Siwon was going to wake up in a ‘what the fuck’ state, but he wanted to believe he would just laugh it off and move. He fiddled with the fabric of his bedspread as he trained his eyes on the movie, trying to focus on the story that had him so wrapped up moments ago.

When he first registered what was happening onscreen, he began to think God was laughing at him. The main characters were locked alone in a shed, kissing heavily, confessing things they never thought they would in hushed tones. Heechul became acutely aware of Siwon’s open mouth and hot breath on his collarbones, and of his left hand entwined in the thin fabric of his dress shirt. He closed his eyes and muttered curses to whatever force caused this timing. His hand reached over Siwon’s arm to the trackpad, exhausted at the idea of thirty-five more minutes of this predicament.

The weight of his head straining up to see the screen around Siwon got to him quickly, and he slumped back to the pillow, eyes fixed on the ceiling as he tried to understand the dialogue through sheer willpower alone.  There was an extended period of music and laughter leading him to believe he was missing some plot by not watching. He huffed exasperatedly and accepted that he was going to have to watch the movie on his own time, and just enjoyed the white noise for the time being. The birds singing and the lapping of waves penetrated his mind as he let his eyelids fall shut. He recognized the sound of a woman yelling at a man over something he couldn’t make out before he drifted off.

➕

“Hey. Hyung,” the sound was soft but insistent in Heechul’s ears. He felt warmth rushing over his limbs as they shook from the much needed post-nap stretch. He smiled softly in his comfort, rolling lazily onto his side. This was when he opened his eyes and remembered his circumstances. Siwon was sitting next to him, one leg folded beneath him as he gazed down at Heechul with an affectionate smile.

“You should put on different clothes to sleep. Those cannot be comfortable.”

“I guess that’s true,” Heechul agreed after a beat, standing up slowly from his bed. His knees popped as he shuffled over to his dresser to pull out some plaid pajama pants and a t-shirt. When he turned to tell Siwon he was going to change in the bathroom, he was faced with his bare back that rippled as the shirt that covered it was removed. Heechul held a gasp and turned around, changing his clothes as quickly as possible. The pants change was efficient enough, but he realized he was at a disadvantage; his dress shirt was still on and buttoned to the collar. His hands fiddled for what felt like forever before he got it off and his a-shirt over his head. He was sliding his wrists into his sleep shirt when Siwon spoke from behind him.

“You are so pale,” Heechul turned to him as he dropped the shirt over his torso, raising his brows in surprise and annoyance.

“Well maybe I should try running all over the countryside shirtless to rescue kids from wells or whatever it is you do!” He was aware that he was gesturing his hands wildly as if some grand indignation had fallen upon him, and he was a little embarrassed by the end of his declaration. It made it tenfolds worse when he saw the dimples that emerged on Siwon’s cheeks, a crackling chuckle emerging from the top of his chest. Heechul was exhausted by this and by everything else that he didn’t have to deal with before Siwon woke him up. He was sleeping more comfortably than usual, so it made sense that his agitated attitude had emerged so easily.

“What time is it, anyway?” he walked over to where he had left his phone on his computer desk, holding it up for a failed face ID.

“This fuckin’ thing.”

“It is around nine,” Siwon answered lazily from the depths of his duffel bag. He emerged with a toothbrush, standing to make his trip to the bathroom. Heechul looked to the window to see the summer sun just barely peeking over the curve of the earth. Embarrassment rose in his chest when he realized he and Siwon had been cuddled together for at least an hour, if not longer. He walked to the window and shut the blinds entirely, clicking on his bedside lamp. His phone was still in his grasp and he remembered he was supposed to be checking through his notifications. He shuffled across the room, standing near the door with his phone in front of his face, rolling his computer chair around sleepily with his opposite hand. He opened a text from his sister that said ‘aw cute’ with an attachment that loaded as slow as an image possibly could. Heechul waited patiently for what he hoped would be the best cat gif he had ever seen, but turned out to be a picture of he and Siwon spooning in his bed.

“God fucking dammit. Why are you like this?” He thought aloud as he sent his sister as many knife emojis as his thumbs could manage. He rubbed his temples with his fingertips, sighing dramatically at the screen.

“Heechul,” he wasn’t sure why he hid his phone behind his back at the sound of Siwon’s voice, but he put on his most convincingly innocent face as he did.

“What’s up, buddy?” he said it before he thought it, the word _effortless_ flashing sarcastically in his mind. Siwon either didn’t notice, or didn’t want to bite this time.

“I cannot find your toothpaste.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know this took foreeeever so this chapter is longer than others but i’m still sorry for the poor schedule.


	9. Tender

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kind of a short chapter. i’m in the middle of writing the next one. hoping to double post this week. ♡

Heechul always wondered how people broke into a house with a bobby pin or a credit card. He considered it especially now, with his sister laughing at him from the other side of her bedroom door while he twisted the handle furiously.

“I just wanna talk,” he said through gritted teeth as he slapped an open palm to the smooth surface. His sister only laughed harder, her wild cackle taunting him.

“At least promise me you’ll delete it?” Heechul grew more desperate with each second that she ignored his pleas, landing the side of his fist pathetically against the door. He leaned his forehead on the frame, groaning exhaustedly, but hopefully not loud enough for his sister to hear and garner entertainment from.

“What are you doing?” Siwon had snuck up on him in the way that only he could do, sheet mask on his face and headband in his hair.

“I could ask the same,” Heechul scoffed as he rolled his head to the side only far enough to get a glimpse of him.

“Friday night is one of my mask nights. Your skin is your largest and often most neglected organ,” he responded disinterestedly, smoothing the material over his cheeks.

“Okay. I. Whatever,” Heechul stood straight and stomped past him to do his own evening routine, taking an Advil from the medicine cabinet after shutting and locking the bathroom door. He leaned against the sink and stared at himself in the mirror, inspecting his pores under the vanity lights. His skin was nice, but Siwon never seemed to have a pimple for longer than a day. He imagined him coaxing it off of his face with positive encouragement, and layered sheet masks. Heechul, however, maintained a couple of pimples around his nose that had been living there rent free for what felt like forever. The one on the left side seemed particularly angry today, so he stuck on a pimple patch after cleansing his face. He smoothed the edges of it down and pulled the drawer out to retrieve his toothpaste. There was one thing he knew about himself; his smile was his charm. He had been told more than once that it was cute or endearing, and it made him feel better than anything else did. Now, he admired it for himself after spitting his mouthwash out, baring his teeth happily in the mirror. He gave himself a nod and flicked the light off, shuffling back to his bedroom.

Siwon was sitting on the bed, rubbing the serum from his mask into his face when Heechul entered. He watched the spectacle from the doorway for a moment, an exasperated grunt leaving his throat as he meandered further into the room. Heechul picked his phone back up from his desk, flopping down on top of the bed.

“You should not use your phone before bed,” Siwon quipped without looking directly at him, stretching out along the mattress.

“Says who,” Heechul was checking his twitter mentions, sending reaction pictures to his followers and bookmarking article links.

“Me,” he responded, snatching it quickly from his hands. “It helps you sleep more restfully.”

“I’m gonna kill you,” Heechul was sitting upright on his knees, hands on his hips in an indignant gesture.

“I would like to see it,” Siwon responded, placing the phone gently on the bedside table next to his own.

“What do you do when you can’t use your phone? It doesn’t make any sense,” the aggravation was simmering in him, but he couldn’t manage to boil over when Siwon was grinning at him so foolishly.

“You could talk to me, I have things to say,” He folded his hands in his lap and rolled his head on the pillow to the side to look him in the eye.

“What do you have to say?” His body slumped down onto the bed, his eyes fixing on the ceiling fan that spun lazily above the bed.

“A lot of things. How did you like the movie?” Heechul fiddled with a loose string on his quilt, parsing his words before even speaking them.

“Honestly I fell asleep at the part where they were surfing,” he laughed a little, trying to ignore the embarrassment that came with the memory of that nap.

“I would scold you if it would not be hypocritical,” Siwon giggled as he rolled onto his side, folding his hands under his head. “I love the movie, but I got too comfortable.”

“I have a nice bed, it’s the truth,” they were facing each other and mirroring smiles, each of them too afraid to blink and make it go away. “You should show me more Korean movies. It’s been a long time since I watched one.”

“Okay. Let’s try to stay awake next time,” Siwon reached out his pinky in a hook and Heechul couldn’t help but grab it. He staved off a giggle, breaking the blistering eye contact, retracting his hand after a beat. Heechul leaned forward and peeled the bedding back, Siwon mimicking him as they climbed under them. He got a bit more comfortable before asking a question that had been on his mind since after dinner.

“Hey. Do you wanna help me find my parents an anniversary gift tomorrow morning?”

“I am the right man for this job,” Siwon clapped his hands together in front of his chest, pure joy plastering his face. “I am proud of you for admitting you could not do it alone.”

“That’s not what I said at all. I’m just using you for a ride to the mall.”

“The mall,” Siwon looked at him a little dumbfounded, an open mouthed grin mocking his audience. “That is why you need my help.”

“Jesus, what’s wrong with the mall? Are you always this critical toward your friends? I can’t be on my phone, I can’t go to the mall-”

“You are so cute,” Siwon had adjusted his head a little closer to Heechul’s on his pillow, and he was shining with some emotion Heechul wasn’t able to identify.

“I know. Set an alarm for ten o’clock,” He hoped his blush wasn’t visible, but he had a feeling it was by the way Siwon chuckled as he turned toward the table.

“I will be awake by ten,” he responded, fiddling with the clock app on his phone. “How about eight?”

“You will die by my hand,” Heechul had rolled away from him and was facing the wall, eyes squeezed shut and brows scrunched up. “Wake up when you want. If it’s before ten just turn the alarm off and wake me up.”

“And if that is eight o’clock?” Siwon teased him, giving him a soft tap on the calf with his foot.

“Be as quiet as humanly possible until at least nine. Please grant me at least that,” He was wrapping the covers tightly around his shoulders, and yawning loudly into his pillow.

“Okay. Only because I like you,” Heechul softened and cracked his eyes for a moment, allowing them to crinkle around the edges. He listened to Siwon’s phone make a clicking sound as he locked it, placing it back on the table.

“Goodnight, hyung,” he spoke around softly, settling onto his back again.

“Goodnight, Siwon,” Heechul muttered, burrowing into his mattress.

Siwon turned his head and stared at his back for a moment, smiling absentmindedly to himself. He took in the way he looked hogging the majority of the covers, breathing steadily and slowly. He admired how his long hair fell over the expanse of his neck, soft and straight as a pin. Something in him told him to reach out and run his hands through the length of it. Something in him told him to reach out and to wrap him in his arms. His heart fluttered with the race of his thoughts, body beginning to feel jittery. He took a long, steady breath; he rolled away and closed his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it’s been a long couple of weeks. i’ve been writing bits and pieces every day. thank you everyone for your patience.


	10. Silver Lining

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> told you i would double post and i bet no one believed it because frankly i didn't either.

Unsurprisingly, Siwon woke up first. That was where the predictability ended. It seemed that his efforts to sleep apart from Heechul had been dashed, and he had taken him into his arms at some point in the night. He looked so calm and peaceful, head leaning on his shoulder and a hand placed softly on his chest. Siwon, on the other hand, was a wreck. He was unsure of how to disentangle himself this time without ending up in an uncomfortable situation. When it had happened last night, he was able to scoot away somewhat quickly, like ripping off a bandaid. When it had happened last night, he wasn’t the one with a person on top of him. He reached slowly to the table and picked up his phone to see it was eight thirty, and he felt a sick bit of relief. He told himself this would give him plenty of time to think of a resolution, but something in his subconscious told him to just ride it out for the next half hour. 

Siwon grumbled as a reflex, feeling Heechul stir a bit against him. His eyes snapped open wide, inspecting the sleeping form for any signs of consciousness. To his dismay, Heechul just proceeded to snuggle further into him, inhaling deeply against his t-shirt. He felt embarrassed for doing this twice, and he felt guilty for enjoying it both times. His mind seemed to work against him, bouncing off ideas that he knew wouldn’t work. Every time he moved a bit, Heechul moved as well, and he knew the obvious idea of sneaking away wasn’t the solution. 

He had checked his phone one thousand times, watching the minutes roll forward until it was nearly nine o’clock. His options were incredibly slim, but he would rather die than wake Heechul up from this position. He stared at a cobweb on the light fixture, and suddenly his brain had formed an escape route. It was daring, risky, and some would say incredibly stupid; he was willing to try it. Siwon raised his legs his up, keeping an eye on Heechul to make sure he hadn’t stirred, and sprung forward as quickly as he could. He managed to free himself and landed firmly on his knees toward the foot of the bed, bouncing Heechul into the wall as he went.

“Fucking christ!” Heechul shouted as he landed with a thud, wedged between the mattress and the wall. Siwon rushed to help him back onto the bed, pulling him into a sitting position.

“Oh, hyung, I am so sorry!” he professed dramatically, putting his hand over his mouth to add to the scene.

“There was a spider on you, and I tried to get it, but it was one of those jumping ones, and it jumped away!”

He had already promised himself to stand boldly in his lie, and he committed with a mask of shock.

“Are you serious?!” Heechul was still closer to the side of the bed, hair sticking to his face on one side and hand on his head where he had banged it off of the wall.

“I hate spiders, but I would rather deal with that than a concussion!”

“It will be okay. I will keep you awake,” Siwon tried to smile to lighten the mood, but ended up with something more like a cringe. “I really am sorry.”

This part was the truth.

“It’s. Okay I guess?” Heechul slid slowly out of bed, shaking his legs loose from the sheets as he went. He stood still for a moment with his hands on his hips, seeming to contemplate his surroundings.

“Are you okay?” Siwon was behind him now, beginning to worry that the concussion remark held some weight.

“Yeah I just can’t believe you totally whooped my ass over a spider,” he answered, turning to make eye contact. “I’m gonna take a shower.”

Heechul stumbled to his closet and pilfered for a few moments, gathering his clothing for the day. He gave Siwon one last suspect glance before walking out of his room and down the hallway. Siwon watched him go before plopping onto the bed, holding a pillow over his face and groaning into it.

Heechul, on the other hand, was for once totally lacking self awareness, and he recovered relatively quickly. Siwon’s bizarre behavior was a bit of a keynote of his personality, and he had begun to take it at face value. He went about his morning as normal, flipping on the bluetooth shower speaker to play his favorites mix. Stevie Nicks filled his senses as he stepped into the warmth of the water, smoothing his hair back from his face. He began to quietly sing along as he lathered shampoo into his hair, removing the shower head to rinse it down and away from his eyes. He applied conditioner and let it set for a couple of minutes, occupying himself with exfoliating his skin. By the time the last chorus of the song had arrived, he was singing full force, rinsing himself off as he threw his head back to belt the notes. He replaced the shower head and danced around to the musical break, shutting the shower off and reaching for his towel on the hook. His voice echoed in the humid room while he used the towel to wring his hair out and pat his limbs down. He threw it in the hamper and continued on to his pile of clothes on the sink. He struggled for a bit to get his underwear and jeans over his damp legs, and he was rolling the short sleeves of his button up shirt when someone rapped on the door.

“Yeah?” He asked without opening it, retrieving his hairdryer from under the sink.

“Do we have time for me to shower as well?” It was shameful but it was true; Heechul had forgotten that Siwon was even there. He had gotten so caught up in his music that he had lost track of both time and space.

“Oh, yeah, I’ll be out soon,”Siwon had said something else, but he didn’t quite catch it over the sound of the hairdryer running.

When Heechul had styled his hair to his liking and put on his moisturizer, he walked to his room and tapped on the door a couple of times.

“I’m done,” he announced, waiting for Siwon to respond before galloping down the stairs. He kissed his mother on the cheek as he passed her on the way to the refrigerator, getting himself some juice. His father sat sprawled out on the couch in his comfortable pants, half watching whatever commercial filled drama was on tv at the moment.

“What are you doing today, Heechul?” His mother watched him expectantly, eating a small bowl of leftover rice from earlier in the week.

“Going somewhere with Siwon this morning, and then coming home for your party of course,” he answered, dropping a piece of wheat bread into the toaster. She opened her mouth to speak, but Heechul started again. “I know a test when I see one, eomma. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

He didn’t have to tell her that Siwon had had to remind him, that was just for him to know. They shared a warm smile, each of them returning their concentration to the task at hand. His sister had shuffled into the kitchen in the meantime, grabbing a bagel and a bottled coffee before retreating back to her room. Heechul hadn’t forgotten their beef, but he had weighed the pros and cons in his head of mentioning in front of his mom and dad that he and his new friend had been caught entangled in his bed. They knew he was gay, but they put a lot of trust in him. If he said Siwon was a friend, that was all he was, but that picture could cause a complicated scene.

Heechul spread blackberry jelly onto his toast taking a bite before peeling a banana. He switched between foods every few bites, zoning out as his mom washed her dish. The way she was standing and the way his thoughts were racing made him think of when he came out. His mother was right where she was now when he had said it; his father wasn’t home. He remembered her letting out a heavy breath as if she had been holding it for years. When she said ‘I know,’ he had been more frustrated with her than he thought possible. He had yelled at her and told her that he hadn’t even known, so she must not have. It was a turbulent time for him, coming home from Korea with gay experience under his belt only to find out Jungsoo, the son of his mother’s best friend, had come out a month before. In retrospect, he figured that that took the heat off of him, but at the time he felt like Jungsoo had soaked up all of the limelight. It only proved to humble him more when he came out to his father and he said ‘okay’. He laughed a little now thinking about it. His mother turning to give him an amused grin, but before he could relive the moment with her, Siwon had padded into the kitchen. He smiled brightly at everyone in the room, nodding his head to each of them in acknowledgement. He was dressed in a fitted black tshirt and light wash straight leg jeans that had Heechul’s eyes focused on the shape of his sculpted thighs. His hair was parted differently from how it usually was, now somewhat toward the center with pieces that framed his forehead. He stood with his hands on his hips when he arrived in front of Heechul, dimples appearing on either side of his mouth.

“Help yourself to anything,” Heechul opened the refrigerator dramatically, spanning his hand in front of it to highlight the middle shelf. “Or you can have toast, the American man’s breakfast.”

Siwon smiled a closed lip smile at him, a chuckle sounding in his chest.

“Rice is okay,” he took the bowl with plastic wrap over it from the shelf, opening the drawer to retrieve some chopsticks. Heechul poured him a glass of water from the filter in the refrigerator door, setting it down in front of him at the bar. Siwon nodded to him again, pulling up a seat and beginning to eat what rice Heechul’s mom hadn’t. Heechul took a sip of his juice and looked at his mom to see she was smiling at the back of Siwon’s head. She then looked up and shot Heechul a wink, moving to join her husband on the couch. Heechul felt his lips tug upward and looked down, watching the movement of Siwon’s hands in the monotonous process of shoveling food into his mouth.

They continued on in this way quietly and peacefully for a good while before Siwon had finished and they were ready to go. Heechul stepped into his pull on Vans, turning to watch Siwon lace up his Adidas originals until they were snug to his feet. He opened the door and motioned toward the walkway, following closely behind Siwon. They skipped down the steps together and to Siwon’s car, climbing into their usual places.

“Do you want to control the music?” Siwon asked with a soft smile on his face, looking at Heechul briefly as he started the car. “I liked the song you were singing in the shower.”

“Oh my god,” Heechul leaned his head back against the seat, laughing exhaustedly. “You heard me singing?”

“Yes! I tried to tell you this morning, but I do not think you heard me. You have a beautiful voice,” Siwon’s cheeks took on a barely noticeable dusting of pink as he said this, one side of his mouth curling upward.

“Yeah maybe I’ll try out for an entertainment company,” Heechul had turned his head toward the window to curb his embarrassment, scoffing lightly as a defense mechanism.

“Do not laugh, there was no joke,” Siwon clapped his hands onto the steering wheel triumphantly. “You could do that. You are amazing.”

Heechul felt like his heart was going to burst into a thousand birds, exploding his chest in the process.

“Thank you,” was all he could manage around the constricting feeling.

“I mean it,” he wagged his finger just once for emphasis, rolling to a stop at a red light. “Now. I just realized I do not know where the mall is.”

“Just keep going. You’ll turn left at the end of town.”

Siwon nodded in acknowledgement and lurched forward at the first sign of green. Luckily enough, they didn’t hit anymore red lights on the way, and arrived at the mall just shy of eleven o’clock. Siwon locked the car with a resounding beep, following Heechul up the slightly slanted parking lot to the main entrance of the shopping center.

“What are you looking for in the mall?” Siwon asked as he glanced between the fast fashion stores, inevitably landing his gaze on the pretzel stand.

“Well, I’m not exactly sure,” Heechul admitted, picking a paper map out of the directory and giving it a once over. “Definitely not something from Forever 21.” 

When he looked back up, Siwon was already first in line to buy pretzel bites, sending him a thumbs up after handing the cashier a ten dollar bill. Heechul cocked his head to the side and looked at him for the moment it took him to get his snack and rush back, shoving the cup toward him eagerly.

“I can see I should have brought you a child leash,” Heechul quipped as he popped one of the pretzels into his mouth. “Don’t run off on me again, you’re my ride home.”

“I get distracted rather easily,” Siwon shrugged, dipping a pretzel in the cup of cheese he had cradled in his hand with the paper cup.

“I can tell,“ he responded, turning his attention to the store directory once again. “There’s a collectibles store downstairs, come on.”

Siwon followed him through the growing masses of people, shoveling pretzels into his mouth as he went. As they reached the escalator, he wiped his hands off hastily and threw everything in a can before cautiously stepping on.

“It’s not gonna suck you in,” Heechul watched him wait for just the right moment before getting on the downward ride.

“I know that much, but it would not be unlike me to fall on something like this,” he responded honestly, giving Heechul an apologetic smile over his shoulder for not walking down like most people were.

“We’ll get there when we get there then. Please don’t eat it on the escalator,” Heechul tried to be sympathetic to his plight and not openly laugh at him.

“Eat what? I already ate the pretzels,” they had finally caught up to everyone else, stepping onto the tile of the bottom level.

“Eat it can mean to like, land on your face,” the collectibles store was in view and Heechul tugged Siwon by the arm toward it.

“Interesting,” he pondered the colloquialism as he tried not to bounce off of the people that stood in the middle of his path, texting and idly chatting. “There are a lot of people in here today.”

“Yeah, I half forgot that it’s Saturday,” Heechul dragged him into the shop that seemed to exist on another plane. No one was inside it sans the shopkeeper and the two of them, alerting attention as they entered. There was hardly a sound as the elderly woman stood from behind the counter and began shuffling over to them.

“Good morning! Is there anything I can help you find?” she had on a fluffy blue sweater despite how warm it was today, and her fingers were covered in silver rings.

“Well, I guess so. I have an anniversary party tonight,” Heechul trailed off, picking up a crystal duck and examining how it shined in the light.

“How many years are we talking?” she inquired, admiring how gently he touched everything while Siwon only looked over his shoulder at the things he held.

“Twenty-five,” his fingers brushed over a tea cup as he spoke.

“Is that depression glass?” Siwon interrupted, pointing to what Heechul’s hand had traced.

“Yes it is. You have a good eye,” she answered, smiling fondly at the set. “Twenty-five. That’s the silver anniversary.”

She held up a finger and was suddenly meandering back to the counter. Heechul followed her reluctantly after a beat, placing his fingertips on the glass under the register that contained antique jewelry.

“Is it safe to assume the anniversary is that of your parents?” Her hands were flipping through a rolodex, stopping at a certain point and grabbing a pen.

“Yeah,” Heechul rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet, craning his neck to see what she was writing down. She hummed in acknowledgement as she clicked the pen to retract it.

“I have this friend that runs a shop downtown. If you hurry, she would let you in, but she closes at noon on Saturdays,” she handed him a folded piece of paper with an address and phone number inside of it. “Tell her Laura sent you.”

He looked at his watch to see that it was eleven twenty now, so he grabbed Siwon’s hand to rush him away from the nineteenth century eyeglass frames that he was admiring.

“Thank you so much, we’ll go right now!” Heechul took off for the door, careful to pull Siwon around the breakables like a game of snake. He gave the shopkeeper one last look and a smile over his shoulder, the sound of her bright laughter following them out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i think i finally decided what route i’m taking with this. yes, i’m a disaster.


	11. Small Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i’m not dead i’m just slower than the dead. thank you for your patience everyone.

Heechul rushed into the shop as soon as the car rolled to a stop. He had been incessantly checking the time on his phone the whole ride, panicking when they arrived at fifteen minutes until noon. Siwon had been left behind on the sidewalk to fill the meter, his nonchalance only adding to Heechul’s anxiety.

The building seemed to be deserted, only the gleam of the sun on the silver occupying his senses as he stepped through the door. He picked up a few things here and there as he walked deeper into the shop, the amount of options overwhelming him. The store was small but closely packed, open glass shelving filled with beautiful trinkets. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to their organization; items sat precariously on every surface, just waiting to spill over. Heechul was stopped at a display, running his fingers over a paperweight when he heard a loud thud behind him. He jumped to full attention, turning to see an older woman had snuck up on him and was stood there. His eyes darted from her to the source of the sound: a box freshly discarded onto the counter adjacent to them. She cleared her throat in an effort to hold his attention, her silver rings clanking over her crossed arms. His eyes darted from her jewelry to her clear coated nails, and back up to her long white hair that hung in a loose half braid.

“Can I help you?” She locked in eye contact with him, the steady jangling of her rings never stopping.

“I,” Heechul was over the initial shock of seeing her, and had moved on to his usual social anxiety. “I need a present. I went to the mall but Laura told me to come here.”

He blurted his explanation out, and she narrowed her eyes at him, pursing her lips for an extended moment. She stared at him as if to assess him, eventually dropping her arms in defeat.

“I owe her one,” she mumbled, turning on her heel to go back behind the counter. “What are you looking for?”

Heechul missed another beat. He had spent so much time watching the clock that he hadn’t done any research in the car, leaving him utterly clueless.

“I’m not sure,” he answered honestly when she began to show impatience again, eyeing his feet as a defense mechanism. “It’s for my parents.”

She sighed exhaustedly as she began pulling items out of the box and placing them in the glass case. A hum escaped her as if to indicate thought, but she continued her work, only straightening when a rattling startled her.Siwon had jogged in with his car keys in his hand, bursting onto the scene to land next to Heechul.

“Did you find something?” He looked from the shop owner back to Heechul, placing his hands on his hips as he spoke.

“Not yet,” Heechul mumbled, noting the store owner’s cocked eyebrow.

“I will look around, then,” Siwon meandered off to another section of the store, leaving the shopkeeper and Heechul in momentary silence.

“You know, most people get a personalized plate,” she lamented as she locked up the glass case. “Which I obviously can’t engrave in ten minutes.”

“I know,” Heechul groaned, deciding to continue speaking honestly. “I kind of forgot until yesterday.”

The shopkeeper clicked her tongue at him before jerking her head to the side, Heechul following her lead. There was a clanking noise in the front corner of the shop, Siwon’s head bobbing around a display. He stood on his toes to clear the higher shelves toward the middle of the store with a wide grin on his face. The pair watched him with curiosity as he weaved back, revealing himself with his arms full.

“This is it!” He announced proudly, placing a handcrafted tea set on the counter. “What do you think?”

Heechul seemed to find himself speechless at least once every day with Siwon. He looked at the treasure he had retrieved so quickly, running his fingertips over the two person set.  His eyes landed on the pattern that crawled up from the bottom of the cups, and he leaned forward to admire the detail.

“It’s pretty,” he murmured, arranging the pieces to mimic a tea party. “Yeah, this is good.”

Siwon hugged him around the shoulders with one arm, pulling out his debit card from the opposite side. Heechul opened his mouth to argue, cut off by simply being told to go put another fifteen on the meter. He stood still for a moment, surprised but not wanting to debate it in front of the shop owner. His eyes focused on the floor and he shuffled out onto the sidewalk. When he looked over his shoulder, Siwon was chatting and laughing inside the store, and he felt a wave of discomfort that he was unable to identify. He clicked the button on the meter, realizing quickly it didn’t take change. Annoyance festered as he swiped his card, adding the minimum time and accepting the charge. He slid his card back into his pocket, sitting on a bench on the sidewalk. Heechul liked to people watch as a way to pass time or quell anxiety, the simple task mind numbing in the best way. This was as good an area as any for it, the downtown streets accommodating to pedestrians. There weren’t many people around today, however, spending their Saturday sleeping in or out of town. Heechul saw one family in a convertible with the top down, likely intent on going to the coast. He thought about how nice it would be to just go put his toes in the sand.

“Okay!” Siwon burst out of the shop with a wrapped package in his arms. Heechul looked over his shoulder to watch the shopkeeper lock the door, a small grin on her face. He stood and the package was thrust into his own arms. Siwon dug his keys from his pocket to unlock the car, opening Heechul’s door for him and ushering him in. His line of sight barely cleared the box as he stepped down and fought his way into the car with it in his hands. He lifted it with his knees to reach his seatbelt across his body, clicking it as Siwon shut the door. His fingers brushed over the brown twine, the white paper crinkling underneath.

“Rustic,” Heechul mumbled as Siwon took a seat, looking up to the now familiar, beaming smile.

“I like it!” He exclaimed, slapping his hands happily on the steering wheel. “That woman was so kind!”

“She looked at me like she was going to eat me alive when I went in,” he scoffed, turning his gaze out the window.

“She told me no one ever goes in on Saturday. It is her inventory day,” Siwon explained, pulling up to a four way stop. “She was nice once I told her the situation.”

Heechul bit the inside of his cheek, mulling over Siwon’s words and deciding not to comment. He fiddled with the frayed edges of the twine, praying silently that this gift would make him mother happy. She tended to like collecting things of the sort, and he knew he shouldn’t spend too much time fretting over it. Still, all the attention would be on him when he presented it, and when she reacted it would reflect on him. The social element of the whole ordeal had him on edge. His mind filled with the people he would have to hold a conversation with at the party, and a script began to generate for all of the questions he was sure to hear. He thought of who would say what, and he mouthed some responses to himself silently. This was his strategy for trying to make all of the conversation as quick and painless as possible.

“Are you talking to yourself?” Siwon asked, breaking Heechul’s internal monologue. He jerked his head up to see they were parked in font of his house, and he tried to calculate how long they were sat there.

“I was just thinking about stuff I need to do,” he half lied, casting his eyes back to the package in his lap.

Siwon cocked his head at him but didn’t respond. He instead leapt from the car and ran around to open Heechul’s door, supporting his hand under his elbowso he wouldn’t trip onto the sidewalk.

“I have some things to do at home,” Siwon informed after walking with Heechul up the steps to his house. “I will come back for the party.”

Heechul nodded at him, stepping in after he opened the door for him.

“See you then,” he nodded his head in acknowledgment, shutting the door behind him with his foot.

“What’s in the box?” Heechul turned to see his dad walking out of the kitchen, sweatpants and house shoes still on.

“If you were supposed to know, it wouldn’t be in a box,” he answered, quirking his eyebrow at him in disbelief. “Is that how you’re dressing for your party?”

“Your mom went to the hair salon,” he responded first with what seemed like a non sequitur. “She told me to get ready while she’s gone.”

Heechul watched him walk over and take a seat on the couch, turning on some reruns he had probably seen one million times.

“That doesn’t look like getting ready,” he shifted his weight between his feet, the box starting to get uncomfortable to carry.

“I’ll run upstairs when I hear the car pull into the drive,” he answered disinterestedly, and Heechul had to laugh.

“Okay, good luck with that,” he said over his shoulder as he made the slow climb up the stairs. Luckily, the door to his room was cracked and he was able to kick it open and carry the package to his bed. His elbows popped as he sat it down, shaking his arms free of the weight. He looked at it for a long moment and decided Siwon was right. The wrapping was charming and he knew his mother would love it.

He smiled to himself as he plopped down in his computer chair. The back creaked as he leaned into it, sighing contentedly and closing his eyes. He turned the seat back and forth a bit, kicking his shoes off in the process. His hands ran down his face, a yawn escaping him as he turned to face his desktop. The mechanical keyboard glowed with rainbow lights when he moved the mouse to light up the screen. The time in the bottom right corner read just after one o’clock, meaning he had around four hours until the party started. He logged onto the server and reached for his headset, connecting the Bluetooth before putting it on.

 

 

 

***

 

“Mom is going to kill you,” Heechul swatted his sister’s hand from where it pulled his headset from his ear. He pushed his chair back away from her, almost running over her toes in the process.

“Not before I kill you,” he snapped, waving her off as he flipped his phone over on his desk. “Shit!”

“Told ya,” she shrugged lazily, watching him scramble up and toward his dresser. “People will be here any moment and you’re up here playing your stupid game.”

“I honestly hate you,” he groaned, digging through his drawers in a panic. The only response he got this time was his door being slammed.

Heechul rooted through his drawers, throwing things on top of his hamper in a panic. From the bottom of his second drawer, he retrieved the outfit that his mom had curated: black slacks and a white button up. He changed faster than he ever had before, even beating speeds he saved for fitting rooms with a curtain for a door. He tripped around the room trying to work the pants up both legs at once, stopping in front of his floor length mirror as he fastened button after button. His fingers combed through his hair nervously as he sprinted down the stairs, nearly slipping on socked feet once he landed on the first floor. His father stood behind the couch facing the kitchen, dressed in chinos and an argyle sweater. He shot Heechul a knowing look as he rounded the corner to see his mom with her hair done, wearing a champagne colored blouse.

“You look nice,” he puffed out of his empty lungs, smiling brightly at her.

“I would be more disappointed in you if your father was not asleep in his pajamas when I found him,” she responded with a laugh, patting his flushed cheek. “At least you were ready before anyone arrived.”

She was technically correct, but as soon as she finished speaking, the doorbell rang. Heechul stepped to the side as she rushed to welcome the first guests, thus starting the seemingly endless flow of people. He watched as his mom gestured people from the door and directly to him, much to his chagrin. His sister had emerged from upstairs as silently as a cat, now standing beside him to take a bit of the burden.

“Chullie!” A woman Heechul recognized as one of his mother’s walking partners approached him with her arms open wide.

“Misun,” he smiled politely, accepting her hug with as little hesitance as he could manage.

“You’re so tall!’ She held him at arms length with her hands on his arms, measuring him up before her.

“Yeah,” a nervous laugh escaped him, the inherent discomfort of being the center of attention taking over. He looked to his sister for relief, but she was otherwise preoccupied with their aunt and cousin. His eyes flicked back to experience the horror of a second woman coming to join them.

“Hyeryun, look! Heechul has gotten so tall!” When she arrived she gave him a firm pinch to his cheek, hugging the other woman and agreeing verbally.

“He is so tall, and skinny too!” She commented with a laugh, now pinching his bicep. “You look so much like your mother, sweetie!”

“I hear that a lot,” Heechul spoke again, grinding his heel into the rug that extended from under the dining room table. “I always hear I look like mom.”

“I look like dad, I think,” his sister had piped up, drawing some of the attention from himself. He mouthed a ‘thank you’ at her before relaxing his shoulders.

They stood like that for several minutes, middle aged woman after middle aged woman arriving to pinch and prod them. Heechul was losing track of who he was even talking to before he smelled a familiar cologne. He looked up into Siwon’s face that was already smiling back at him. His hair was swept cleanly to the side with a low shine paste, looking almost unnaturally good. He was wearing a fluffy sky blue sweater French tucked into a pair of black trousers. Heechul looked at him for longer than was polite, imagining burying his face in the softness of the sweater.

“You look,” Heechul breathed out, reaching out to feel the material between the pads of his fingers. When he realized he had done it, he dropped his hand quickly to rub the length of his own arm. “Nice.”

“Thank you,” Siwon responded jovially, leaning down to say something a bit more privately. “Your outfit is very charming.”

Heechul looked at his feet as he blushed on instinct, thinking of what he could possibly say to that. He looked up into his eyes and smiled, opening his mouth frivolously before being cut off by a familiar gaggle of women.

“Who do we have here?” Hyeryun was taking no extra time to pinch Siwon’s smiling cheeks, Misun linking arms with him to lead him into the living space.

“I take the tall comment back, kiddo,” she shouted over her shoulder to Heechul, leaving him discombobulated and offended if he was allowed the time to think about it. He turned to see his sister had already escaped to somewhere else, leaving him to wonder when she learned to be so stealthy. He scoffed, scanning the room quickly to see everyone otherwise occupied. He stood uncomfortably for the shortest moment, stealing his sister’s idea and slinking up the stairs to his room. The sound of chatter dissolved the further he climbed upward, looking around to ensure no one would be jumping out of the bathroom at him. He was relieved to note that the hallway seemed like a ghost town, and he proceeded on light feet to his sanctuary.

“Hey, loser,” a voice caused the hair on the back of his neck to stand up, catching him off guard as he backed into his room and shut the door. He spun around to see Jungsoo lying on his bed in his formalwear, feet planted on the ground.

“Where the hell did you come from?” He groaned out more loudly than he intended to, pulling his computer chair out and sinking into it.

“I’ve been up here for a while, drama queen,” he was clearly bored by the question, scrolling through his phone with a blank expression. “And don’t ask why because you’ve been down there. You know why.”

Heechul nodded in silent agreement, leaning his head back to look up at the ceiling fan.

“What’s in the box?” Jungsoo piped up again, audibly locking his phone and flicking the twine on the gift box.

“Tea set,” Heechul stretched his arms above his head, yawning in the process.

“Inspired,” he was genuine albeit monotone, leaning up on his elbows to engage in eye contact. “Your idea?”

“Well, no,” this was something Heechul was unsure of how to explain, mincing his words mentally before even saying them. “I took a friend with me to the shop.”

“Tall guy?” Jungsoo pressed forward, scanning Heechul’s face curiously.

“Yeah, Siwon,” he knew where this was going, his fingertips nervously tapping on the armrests.

“Mhm,” they broke eye contact and Jungsoo flopped back onto the mattress, surprising Heechul for the first time in all the years they’d known each other.

“‘Mhm’? That’s it?”

“Mhm.”

Heechul gritted his teeth, tapping his fingers more rapidly. He looked at Jungsoo until he willed him to make eye contact again, an amused gaze meeting his.

“Do you have something to say?” Heechul knew he had lost his cool too fast, already coming across snippy for virtually no reason.

“Should I have something to say?” Jungsoo pondered, propping his head up on his hand with a satisfied grin.

“No, but you always do anyway,” Heechul was keenly aware that he was scowling, being opposed by the ever widening smile before him.

“I don’t need to say it, babe. Your face says it all,” Jungsoo stood and walked to the door, patting his shoulder as he went. When the door clicked behind him, Heechul buried his face in his hands and growled out his frustration. He planted his feet on the floor and tucked his hair behind his ears, following reluctantly in Jungsoo’s footsteps.


End file.
